| Logs |
2010 December 18
| Neverneverwhere |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Taps Logs |
Gimme Shelter
The sun breaking the horizon on the furthest eastern parts of Bringer's territory brings a perceptible slowing in him; he growls under his breath as he pushes through the shadow. It feels as if he is struggling through a lake of syrup, but he knows they are close to her caravan and keeps going. If he is lucky, he can get back into the forest and stay in the deepest atrial gloom. Sulochana goes pale as he seems to be struggling. She doesn't move herself, not wanting to make it worse, but she does whisper, "Bringer, please! Go back to your home, please?"
Bringer's eyes are tearing up as he realizes he has come to the end of his ability. He stumbles out of the last shadow within five or ten steps of 'Chana's wagon. Sulochana is already glancing around frantically, wondering how she can help. She gasps out, "Oh, thank Goddess!" when she sees where he's brought them to, and wriggles down from his arms. She loops her harp over one shoulder, then grabs his hands, "Come! Quick, run, hurry, please!" She's trying to drag him those last few steps to her wagon before the clouds clear and the sunlight falls on the manitou. The Hetaera knows Fantine and Sna'tha have thoroughly blocked her wagon's windows, so she could sleep during the day while Bradley was her client. Bradley is stumbling as he runs with her. He's frantic and starting to feel the painful strain of moving about outside after dawn.
From all over there is a stirring, and an alarum is raised as it is noticed people are coming in at speed. Fantine is just leaving Sulochana's wagon from fetching her skin. She notices the two as she's stepping down onto the grass, and she stares wide-eyed. Ohkwa also straightens in alarm -- what's the night manitou doing out during the day? Sulochana nearly hauls Bradley to the stairs, then whirls and darts into the wagon to make sure the curtains are all drawn, and the windows blocked securely and completely closed against the light. After that she whirls again, grabbing Bradley's arm and hauling him up and into the tiny wagon with frantic strength, pushing him towards the very back and away from the door. "Stay here for the day -- don't mess with the windows, all right? Just rest!" She's shaking off her cloak as she gasps out her hasty instructions, and then she whirls for the exit, with thoughts of using the cloak to block the entire door from the light.
Little Joe and the Amazon shield-sisters are on high alert at the suddenness and frantic energy of the arrival of the manitou and their leader. From here and there people are moving to unconsciously defensive postures. Sna'thaid and Okhwa stride up to Suraksha's wagon, the sidhe snapping out a question about what exactly is going on. Fantine stammers, "Th-they come in staggering, madame -- I do not know why?" 'Chana's swift instructions can be muffledly heard from within the wagon, and then she appears in the door, pulling off her cloak with a tight, worried expression.
Inside the wagon, Bringer is feeling the drain of the energy he had to use to move about at all after daybreak had touched the edge of his territory. He surges desperately toward the door, thinking only of how sated he felt after a night with the Hetaera -- how strong. From outside it seems 'Chana almost disappears as she's jerked back into the caravan. The door is slammed shut from inside and then Sulochana is pushed hard against it, the manitou's mouth seeking hungrily for hers, his weight pressing against her as he tries desperately to recoup some strength.
There's a small, startled, "Oof!" from 'Chana as Bringer grabs her, but then she's not being hauled around any more -- just emphatically kissed -- and she re-focuses on the door. Hmm... as she recalls, light was blocked pretty well on earlier days, except for a tiny line at the bottom of the door. She reaches to one side with her hand, not struggling against the manitou at all, and flicks the small and rarely-used latch that locks her door. She sighs in relief at the small click, and sags a bit against Bringer, her eyes closing tiredly. Wait -- one last thing to do: she carefully drops her cloak, using one small heel to nudge it behind her very precisely, so no light can seep in. She says a small, silent prayer of thanks to whomever built her nice, snug little wagon so well... then sighs again and tries to pull her scattered thoughts together. He's kissing her... kiss, right! He wants the energy; all right, she can do that. She struggles to pull together some eroticism for him, despite being incredibly tired by this point.
The manitou's kiss is frantic and hungry and it is a good thing the Hetaera has the training to keep her head even when her partner is so demanding. There is a pounding on the door and shouting to know if she is all right, from her caravan family. 'Chana gasps muffledly in sudden worry at the banging, pressing gently with her hands on Bringer's face, trying to turn it enough that she can turn her head away from the insistent kisses so she can speak clearly. She manages to free her face just enough to lean her head back against the door, and her voice is tight as she calls, "Don't come in -- stay out, please! Don't open the door!" She hastily adds, "I'm fine! Everything's fine!" and prays silently she's telling the truth. She carefully and quickly slides the harp case down off her shoulder, setting it safely to the side mostly by feel -- she hasn't got quite enough space to glance just now.
Bringer's hands slide around her body and scoop under her rump to pull her up and against himself. Sulochana blinks and gives a surprised, "Whoop!" as she's abruptly lifted. His fingers are moving to get the sari open and off of her again; there is no sense he is aware at all of his surroundings, only of her presence. 'Chana's voice is worried as she whispers softly, "Bringer, sweet man, can you hear me? There's a folding bed behind you -- let it down and we can lay on it, all right?" She brushes his salt-and-pepper hair out of his face, curiously unworried about him harming her; mostly she's just very, very concerned for her companion, as she's become genuinely fond of him. When he fumbles with the sari she simply shrugs easily out of it, murmuring quiet, soothing nothings to him.
Sna'tha calls sharply, "What's happened, Jyotsana?"
Sulochana calls back calmingly, "Nothing's wrong, godsmother; we just ran out of night and Bradley needs to stay out of the sunlight. Don't open the door, please? I'll just keep him here for the day, and he can go home toni- oh, blast!" She sighs exasperatedly, still soothingly stroking Bradley's hair as she ruefully calls, "I'm sorry, I didn't really plan ahead here. Why don't you all go ahead and take the caravan forward for the day, and I'll, ahh... I'll catch up later tonight, all right?" She smiles and adds a family code phrase that means all is well, "I've already fed the cat, all right?"
The sidhe relaxes as she hears the code phrase, calling back, "We got an early start this year; we can afford to wait a day for you." Ohkwa growls agreement.
Inside, Bringer is groping around with one hand and the bed is almost slammed into place. Sulochana laughs, her voice still rueful, "Tell folks I'm sorry, please? Oh, maybe you can have the 'day after' party today -- since we got safely out o-whoop!" Her comment ends in a startled yelp and a bit of breathless laughter as she's suddenly whipped around towards the bed as well. Bringer is not so rough as to be painful or frightening, but he is not going through all the playful and gentle teasing either. This is raw and unrefined hunger at work; there might be a few bruises when they are done, from the way his hands hold her so tightly. The manitou is having a harder time getting his own clothes off and so he uses his hands and mouth to try and stoke her own hungers. His sheer relief at the darkness inside the wagon is making him feel almost drunk; he pours that back into her.
Sulochana has been with rough clients before by choice, and while she usually doesn't play that way any more -- it's too exhausting when she has a caravan to run the next day -- it does not scare her. She tries her best to help, both with his clothing and in not struggling or fighting against him; she suspects he may feel bad tomorrow about the bruising, so she's careful not to make it any worse. When he turns his sensual focus so thoroughly on her, she finds it much easier to regain her previous sensual and erotic feelings. She focuses as thoroughly on that sensation as she can, both so she can feed it back to him... and so she can keep herself energized enough to help him, and not become exhausted. She's pretty sure she can pace herself so she doesn't drop before he comes back to his senses... well... she thinks she might be able to?
Once his clothing is out of the way, Bringer share his body hungers with her as well. Making love with him is like laying outside in a midnight thunderstorm -- with crashes of sensation and blinding flashes of need that take one's breath. 'Chana quickly realizes she's energetically way out of her depth! She simply turns her focus onto remaining calm and still, mostly letting her hungry lover feed her energy needs. It's rather hard to do so, however; she's not sure how he's accomplishing it, but she can feel his emotions and arousal flooding into her as well! She's panting and moaning softly, struggling to just cling to Bringer, where he's effectively wrapped himself around her in his tempestuous love-making.
At some point during the onslaught of the manitou's passion, Sulochana finds herself pressed between Bringer and the bed, wrists pinned over her head with one large hand; the other hand is on her hip as he drives himself into her. His head is bowed and the eyes are gleaming golden in the nearly imperceptible light of the cabin. It is like sharing the space with a large, hungry cat. 'Chana's back arches, her legs wrapping about his waist, and she tosses her head back and yowls as she reaches a shockingly powerful, body-straining release -- and then she finally, abruptly runs out of energy. Her senses white out with delirious pleasure, and she's almost relieved as she spirals and whirls downward into the blessedly soothing darkness.
When she comes to sometime later, it is to a gentle shower of kisses that seems to flutter all over her body, touching feverish bare skin with soft and hungry lips. 'Chana groans softly, feeling both achy and tingly with arousal. Her small hands tremble slightly as she tries to reach for her partner so as to return caresses; she's having a bit of trouble pulling her thoughts together. She finally remembers where she is and why, and she licks her lips a few times before she whispers a hoarse, "B-bringer? Still good, s-sweet man?" A bit wistfully she wishes she'd had time to gather up a waterskin before slamming the door; she grins tiredly at herself and gently brushes her fingers through her lover's hair.
Bringer's voice is softly murmuring, like a warm wind through trees at twilight, whispering of the coming coolness of night. "I am grateful, sweet soul. I did not mean to overwhelm you so much." His tone turns slightly teasing, "It is enough to swell a manitou's head."
Sulochana chuckles tiredly, having to swallow a few times to moisten her throat. She's very tired, but also very relieved to hear him speaking calmly. Her voice is husky and low, "Oh, good... you still sound fine." She just relaxes for a bit, then adds with a small smile, "Don't swell too much, please. We still have to fit you through the door tonight, mm?"
He laughs again and growls playfully, "Some swelling is expected..." and then he does something exceptionally nice with his fingers and her lotus, lips brushing the hollow of her throat. Sulochana groans softly, swimming in sensation and too tired to moderate her reaction. She tries to, at least until she remembers he can feel and feed on her pleasure -- and then she simply decides to surrender to the amazing, delicious sensuality of her lover's bliss-inducing attentions to her. If she can successfully share this staggering amount of euphoria, and thereby benefit him, she's happy to do so! ...and far, far too tired to do much more than that to return the favor. She tries stumblingly to apologize between panting breaths, but rapidly realizes she's having trouble even just holding a thought -- when Bringer is serious about love-making, it's hard to focus! It does not help her in articulating that thought, when Bringer seems to kiss her every time she tries to apologize.
As the day wears on, around noon there is an insistent knocking on the door and a rumbling voice demands, "Sulochana! You have to eat! Are you OK in there?" 'Chana sighs languidly, her eyes half closed; she's not quite verbal at that point. She smiles dreamily and purrs, her brain working slowly on parsing the words. When she doesn't respond immediately, Buddy knocks harder on the door and says, "Sulochana! Answer me!" Bringer whispers next to her ear, "Your friend is worried... you should reassure him."
It takes the limply exhausted Hetaera a few heartbeats to register what all the people who are talking at her are trying to say. She coughs once, then husks out, "B-buddy? 'M fine, dear. Don't open th' door, 'kay? Just bring me something hot at, uhh... at sunset, please?" She sighs tiredly and smiles, adding, "'N water, please? Thirsty. Er, I'll be thirsty then." She's faintly relieved she can feed on sexual energy; she's not sure she'd have woken up from her exhausted faint of earlier if she had had nothing to eat all day as well as most of the night.
Buddy sounds reluctant, but she isn't giving any of the code phrases for distress or being held against her will. Bringer calls out, "Bring something to drink now, please? I can cover up and she needs the hydration."
'Chana shakes her head, "No. No, don't, please. Don' want to risk it." She smiles tiredly at Bringer as she adds, "Jus' let me cuddle some 'ccasionally, 'kay?
The manitou rumbles, "Yes. Now. It's worth it to keep you unharmed." He has already shifted to snuggle her against his chest, letting her ear rest against his breastbone and pick up the slow thud of his heart as he starts to relax.
She suddenly remembers something to distract him with, and adds, "Could you reach the little bag by the door, so I can see what you gave me?" Bringer chuckles softly again and reaches for the bag, letting her get out the pouch. It is not the same payment as the Sokoloffs; instead there are two small opals, two small but excellent quality quartz crystals, and what looks like a good-sized nugget of silver. The quartz alone is enough to buy cornmeal for a year. Sulochana ooohs softly, her eyes shining with pleasure as she admires the beautiful stones she has carefully laid out on his chest. Her voice is reverent, "Oh, Bringer! This... oh, my! You do me great honor, sweetheart!"
Bringer smiles quietly, "I know it might be... slightly overgenerous. But I wanted to thank you appropriately."
Sulochana beams tiredly at him, lifting her head just enough to meet his gaze in the darkness; she's momentarily relieved she can see in the dark. Her voice is soft, "You've been truly kind to me, lovely man. Thank you." She can see the quartzes are the type that could be used in Tap tools, as she carefully packs them all away again, setting them safely aside. Bringer smiles and wraps his arms and the darkness around her as if it were a blanket. She settles down with quietly relieved pleasure, going almost immediately utterly limp as she slips into exhausted sleep for a short while.
When she wakes, it is to feel Bringer's hands gently stroking over her bare belly and thighs and to hear him humming quietly to himself. 'Chana sighs softly with relaxed pleasure. She doesn't remember being rolled over, but she's not really concerned. While she's tired enough that her internal editors are seriously off-line, she trusts the manitou to not take advantage of her in a way she wouldn't accept while awake. She reaches out with one hand to stroke her slender fingers along his warm skin, smiling and murmuring, "How're you doing, lover?" It does not occur to her just how trusting she is being while so tired. She's aware she's vulnerable and completely exposed, but she's too tired to really grasp how currently defenseless she is. At this point she's having trouble even remembering to not flash the inside of her bitten elbow; she's just exhaustedly pleased Bringer of Night and Passion is safe and well here with her.
Bringer smiles against her stomach as her fingers find his hair and he rumbles, "Better than I could have thought possible." He ducks his head and lays a tender kiss on her mons, murmuring, "I have not been that close to... such danger in a very long time."
Sulochana shivers lazily at the gentle kindness of the kiss, then blinks, her brain feeling a bit sluggish as she processes that statement. Finally she murmurs confusedly, "Being in danger is... makes you happy?"
Bringers laughs again and nuzzles against the inside of one of her thighs, breathing in her scent and sliding his hands down to stroke her calves and ankles, "No, avoiding death makes me very, very relieved. Which makes me want to celebrate."
'Chana's laugh is a soft breath of relief. She brushes the tips of her fingers across his head, reaching down as far as she can while simply lying there, and murmurs with an apologetic smile, "Alas, I did not think to pack champagne and a party dress, lovely man. Will this do instead?"
Bringer laughs and does something distracting, pleasant, and quite naughty with his tongue for a moment or two, adding, "I have always preferred less formal celebrations." He continues to caress her legs and hips, seeming to enjoy the sweet feel of her skin under his hands, "I hope your people are not too put out with me."
'Chana gasps, wriggling slightly with the sheer wonderfulness of the feelings she's getting. When she can speak again she whispers breathlessly, "N-not to put a crimp in your style, but shall we not think about them j-just now, please? Especially while you're doing that?"
The manitou laughs and murmurs, "As m'lady wishes." He then goes back to doing "that" with rather a lot of enthusiasm and skill. When 'Chana reaches climax, he nuzzles softly against her thigh and then... starts over again. It's not until she's back to the wordless state of desire that he slides his body up along hers, finding her lips with his own as he enters her lotus. Sulochana is sweaty, exhausted, well past verbal, incredibly aroused, thirsty and hungry... and having a strangely fantastic time! She has just enough energy to raise her arms and wrap them about him, and she can feel she's going to be hurting rather a lot tomorrow... but right now she's blissfully intoxicated and nearly delirious.
The manitou's forehead is resting against hers as he makes love to her one last time. He can feel the sun setting and knows her people will be frantic to get to her. When she gasps and shivers, sliding again into unconsciousness or sleep, she flops carelessly, sprawled in artless grace. Her elbow is visible in the dimness with its puncture marks -- and so many other places where the blood rises close to the skin. Silently he kisses each of them: throat, heart, and groin, then strokes her hair. She has given him too much to try and take that from her unwilling. Carefully he shifts until he can cradle her in his arms, and waits for the sun to set.
Sulochana struggles groggily up into wakefulness as she realizes something is hammering near her in the darkness. She's being held, too... is she at someone's house? Shouldn't she be more alert, though? Confusedly she mumbles, "Shutter loose...?"
Bringer murmurs softly, "Your people. Checking in on you..." With a soft sigh he shifts to lay her on the bed and starts gathering his clothes before calling out, "A moment! She's safe!"
'Chana makes a querulously confused noise, but doesn't have the energy to do more than that. She manages to reach out enough to let her fingers brush in a light caress along bare skin... ah, that's right -- it's Bringer. She sighs softly, letting her hand fall as she remembers everything, and smiles tiredly, "We made it, then? You're safe, sweetheart? Is it night yet?"
Bringer leans over her and murmurs, "Dusk. We made it... and now..." 'Chana smiles in tired triumph for him, turning her face up for a kiss before he turns to the door. Bringer's eyes soften and he kisses her tenderly before he turns to the door. He tugs her cloak away and unlatches it to let in a small storm of people. 'Chana blinks tiredly, shading her eyes -- after all the darkness of the enclosed previous day, this is a lot of light for her, even though it's after sunset. The firelight outside seems particularly glaring, and there seem to be a lot of raised voices all yelling at her at once. She sighs softly, smiling quietly as she remembers: they're people who care about her. That makes her feel better, even though she's so groggy it's hard to tell them all apart.
Alg dives through the door from the roof; Sna'tha and Fantine are immediately pushing past the manitou into the wagon to check on Suraksha. Fantine has water and food and Sna'tha is simply being a fussbudget godsmother. Sulochana drinks first, sitting up with Alg's help and swallowing water as fast as she can without choking. Buddy opens the windows, his broad nose wrinkling a bit, while Sna'tha tucks blankets around her still nude godsdaughter. When Sulochana can talk again, she reassures them she's fine, truly -- just tired and hungry! Fantine grins shyly as she suggests a bath too, and having the wagon cleaned out while she's bathing?
Outside, Ohkwari is leaning against the railing of 'Chana's wagon, lazily smoking his pipe. When Bradley emerges, he murmurs wryly, "Gonna live?" Bradley's laugh is a soft exhalation of relief and bemusement, "Yes, I'll live. I do think I'll clear out for a bit, though. I have a feeling I am not the most popular person around here just now." He glances over his shoulder at the people fussing over the lovely Hetaera. Sulochana is groggily assuring her companions, between gulping down water, that she's fine, really -- nothing to worry about! No one seems to be taking her seriously.
Ohkwa nods silently once, his human-for-now face expressionless, and Bradley steps into shadow with a little effort. He has a lot of work to do tonight -- both to resuscitate himself completely after the near-disaster of dawn, and to find a way to express the enormous gratitude he feels to the priestess / Hetaera / feminine principal who has so generously given of herself to keep him alive and help him remember what it was like to be the fullness of himself again.
Suraksha gets her bath soon thereafter, with Sna'tha and Sabrina sudsing and rinsing her down as she stands by the big fire with a few privacy screens up. Mama Minta bustles around making sure the fire stays high and bright, cheerfully ordering around her flock of hastily scrambling children, who are both helping bring in yet more firewood and helping Fantine hastily clean out the wagon and make sure there are fresh sheets on the bed. Poly makes sure to smudge the wagon clean as well, and Buddy comes stalking in with fresh hot stew, serenely ignoring the shocked admonitions that the lady is nude just now, excuse him! He growls at that person, sternly informing her that the only person who's known the lady longer is Little Joe -- and that by only minutes! Therefore she's like Buddy's daughter and he's certainly not going to make her wait for a good hot meal! Very few people are willing to argue with Buddy when his eyes are flashing with sincerity, and he's nearly snorting and pawing the ground.
Soon thereafter Sulochana is laughingly protesting she's all right, really! People don't need to worry so much! Of course, the fact she's yawning hugely and leaning against Alg as she says that makes her extended family tch and shake their heads and cluck disapprovingly at her... and soon thereafter she's been fed, washed, wrapped up warmly, and firmly tucked back into bed. She falls asleep during her protests, which makes everyone feel pleased and justified.
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