Little Indians
Chapter 23 – It is a truth universally acknowledged
Springtime in Gynt was late this year, but there was a mood of celebration in the village.
Today was Penn and Jane’s wedding day, and what a beautiful day it was.
A huge marquee had been set up for the festivities on the village green, and the tables were festooned with garlands of flowers, groaning under jeroboams of wine, and all in the village were prepared for a feast of gargantuan proportions.
Gynt was a joyous place again.
Gone were the days when Lilith was abroad, and the whole village had seemed to be lost
Somehow, Penn, Jane and Dee found themselves free of her influence, and had settled back into village life again. Many more villagers returned, in dribs and drabs, over the next few weeks.
Jane was skinny and wasted as they had climbed out of the cave, but Mrs Beale had spent some time healing her and feeding her, and she now had more flesh on her bones, a blush in her cheeks, a spring in her step.
Penn was so glad that it was over. He was reunited with Aunty Helen, and his mother, and most of the adults he had known. His school year had seemed quite depleted at first, but the children were beginning to return to Gynt, one by one. Penn, Tsanja, Jane and Dee were still wearing choker charms, and each was always pleasantly surprised when the memory of a friend would resurface, they would talk of them, and their friend would return a day or so later.
Gynt had suffered terribly, if only temporarily, from the depredations of the Lilith Spawn, but the troubles had been far worse in Solveig. The Sisters had been overthrown, and the Church had fallen very quickly. The Felthings had suddenly, and quietly, turned against their mistresses, who had been completely unprepared.
At the time, few citizens had been brave enough to enquire after the purpose of the constant stream of Church carriages streaming out of Solveig towards Gynt. It only later became apparent that the Grand Abbey had been emptied, abandoned.
Solveig ended up in the hands of the few healers in the city who had survived the purges, or who had come from up north, where the Felthings had not yet made an appearance. As a profession, the healers were still trusted. They had been able to take up the running of the city from the Sisters without any trouble, and, indeed, people remarked on the improvement in efficiency and attitude. However, all of the healers wanted to get back as soon as possible to what they knew and loved, which was healing people, and were now trying to give the job to others. With their ranks sorely depleted, and the months they had spent in hiding, there was now more demand for their services than ever.
With the monarchy scattered, the Sisters gone, and the healers unwilling, there was now talk of a new system of governing. By use of a popular ballot, appropriate people could be selected to administer Solveig and its dominions.
Tsanja and Dee had brought two beautiful babies back with them. As Lilith had predicted, both had had daughters. Tsanja’s was baptised Sarah Fillis, and Dee’s Hypatia Beale. Dee had suggested switching their surnames around, and they did, calling Tsanja’s daughter Sarah Beale, and Dee’s daughter Hypatia Fillis. It saved everyone, especially Penn, from embarrassment and confusing explanations.
People didn’t seem too concerned about unmarried mothers any more, and times were changing rapidly.
With her new daughter, Tsanja could no longer officiate at church, and lived now with her mother, the two of them finally reconciled after so many years.
Tsanja spent most of her time now preparing and teaching at the village school. This school had, deservedly, acquired quite a reputation, and Tsanja had become a kind of leader in Gynt. There was no official position, at least not yet, but her wisdom and experience was recognised by all, and Gynt was growing rapidly.
Sister Hypatia was now performing all the duties of the Church, and she thought herself very fortunate to be in such a tolerant little village when her Church had fallen. Her memory of the troubles, and, indeed, of all of her life before Gynt, was very scanty, but she considered her time in Gynt the happiest in her life.
Hypatia especially supported Tsanja in her position, and the two had became fast friends. Neither spoke of the unpleasantness of their first meeting, and Tsanja thought herself fortunate that she could not remember it.
Many people had fled as refugees from Solveig to Gynt during the troubles. When the revolution, for such it was, occurred without bloodshed, the newcomers had been expected to return to Solveig. However, a surprisingly large number had taken up residence. They stayed for the wisdom of Tsanja’s guidance, the excellence of the school for their children, the bountiful farms which surrounded them, and had been welcomed by a community still getting back on its feet. The few houses which remained abandoned were soon filled by new tenants, and Gynt was actually growing as new houses were being built around the outskirts.
Along with Tsanja, Dee and her daughter Hypatia had also moved in with Mrs Beale, and Dee was beginning to learn the Healer’s craft. Dee’s months in Mrs Beale’s house seemed but a distant memory now, and Mrs Beale welcomed having a few souls around to keep her company.
Dee loved her room, which had been Tsanja’s when she was a girl. Its picture window framed the huge oak tree which had changed her life, and contained a mirror which with magical properties. She liked to use it to find out everyone’s business in the village. Dee was very discrete, fortunately, and there was never any cause for anyone to worry. Dee often wondered where the mirror had come from, but nobody would tell her. She found it in the house when they had returned from the troubles, and Dee was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
She had also found a strange little message carved into her bed:
“Madeleine Andersen ♥ Penn Fillis”
One day, she would have to ask Penn who Madeleine was, but, somehow, she always forgot.
Penn was looking forward to the ceremony. He had not seen Jane all day. Hypatia had taken her away to perform a blessing ceremony, and it seemed to be taking many hours. As her mother had once said, a good marriage requires some very powerful magic to work!
He had chosen his Aunty Helen to be best maid.
Penn had always admired her, and she seemed to understand and remember the troubles in Gynt better than most. She had decided she would give a special wedding present to Penn before the ceremony, as all of the other presents were for Jane.
It was a roll of parchment, and it carried the King’s seal of old.
Penn’s mother had been telling him of his lineage since he had been born, but he had never paid it much heed. The thought of a King had always seemed faintly ridiculous, what with the Sisters ruling the land.
Now that the Church had fallen, everyone’s attitudes were loosening up. People’s minds seemed to be open to more possibilities, and the idea of a Monarchy seemed a little less strange.
“Penn, Lilith wanted this proof, and I found it for her. I brought it with me when I came to Gynt.
“I thought that she wanted to overthrow the Sisters and restore the Monarchy, with the Sisters underneath, with her hand controlling both. I knew that this could only result in revolution, and fighting, and many deaths. I did not trust Lilith then, Penn, I thought that she wanted dominion over the world, to bend it to her will.
“But Penn, the Felthings overthrew the Sisters who had done them so much harm, and the Healers have taken power now. So far, it has not been so terrible, and there is peace in the land.
“I think I know why she wanted that proof, Penn. Through Lilith’s influence, we have had some beautiful babies born in Gynt. Tsanja has your baby, and she is beautiful. Dee has James Beale’s, and she is also beautiful. Lilith does not want earthly power, Penn, she simply wants to share our beauty, our love, our joy. There are so many beautiful people in Gynt now, Penn, and Lilith wants what is best for us all.
Helen patted her tummy, the bump becoming quite noticeable, and put her fingers up to her neck, and felt where her choker charm used to be.
“I do not wear the choker charm, Penn, because I no longer fear Lilith. I will go to her when it is my time. But Penn, there are still secrets in Gynt which could still hurt you. Please, Penn, never take off your own charm, just let it be, Penn, just let it be, and be happy with Jane, as I know you will be.
“Lilith cannot deny the love you have for Jane, and Lilith is kind.
“Jane has loved you for so long, and you deserve each other. Go to her with my blessing, Penn, for I have always loved my darling nephew, and I want you to be happy. I have never married, but I know that you will be a fine husband, and that Jane will treat you well.
“Go and receive your blessings from Hypatia, and I will give you to Jane this afternoon.”
It was only an hour before the ceremony. Hypatia had been with Jane for several hours, as the bride’s blessing was more complicated than the groom’s. Now finished with Jane, Hypatia had come to fetch Penn.
He was taken to a small room in the Church behind a door he had never seen opened. It was voluptuously furnished with rich draperies and a huge, comfortable, couch, and Hypatia set him down in the middle. She made sure to lock the door behind the two of them.
“Penn, my beautiful boy, Jane is to make you a man tonight. I have prepared her, and she is ready to take you both into your future. You really do have a beautiful bride, Penn, and there is much pleasure in store for you, in what I trust will be a long and fruitful life. But first, Penn, I must ready you for her, so that your first time together is as beautiful as it can possibly be.”
Hypatia poured some wine for them both, and sat down next to Penn on the couch.
She toasted Penn, and put a hand over his in a companionable way. The wine tasted delicious, and Penn sipped it eagerly.
“Penn, since the Church has ruled the land, Men have had a very special place in the world. Once a man finds a wife, he must give himself to her utterly, and, in return, he can be freed of all unpleasant duties, of responsibility, and of labour. You are so lucky, my young man, today will be such a change for you, and you will soon pass all your cares onto Jane. Some say that the world is changing, that such a marriage is wrong, but Penn, I do not think you will have any reason to complain.
Penn began to feel a little light-headed. The wine was lovely, but it did seem a little strong.
“Tonight, you will share a wonderful experience with Jane, and she will take over all of your worries.
“First, I need to prepare you. Do not be alarmed, every groom must be prepared in this way. I have been told that I have some skill, and most men find it very pleasant.”
Hypatia stood in front of Penn, and leaned down to kiss him, formally, on the forehead.
She then dropped down in front of him, gently pulled him to the front of the couch, and reached for his belt.
“This preparation will open you up to Jane, Penn, so that you can give yourself to her fully. It might seem a little intimate to you, but do not be concerned, Jane knows what this ceremony involves, and she is glad that it is me to do it.
“When Tsanja was the priestess here, she had the same duty, and officiated at many weddings here in Gynt.
“Now that I have taken over her duties, I continue the tradition. Every marriage in Gynt includes this ritual.”
Hypatia opened his trousers, and, with Penn’s assistance, moved his trousers down. He was already erect, and he felt warm. It was the effect of the wine, he supposed.
She gave him a smile then, and, kneeling in front of him, kissed his penis. Penn could only gaze at her with surprise as she opened her lips, and, sliding down, he was soon totally engulfed inside her mouth.
Hypatia’s technique was admirable, and he remembered the skill with which Tsanja had held him while he was in the cave. How many times had she performed this ceremony?
Today was a happier time, and Penn relaxed as Hypatia massaged him with her tongue. She worked him quite hard, and he felt himself rising, but tried to wriggle away from her, not wanting to lose himself in her mouth.
Hypatia released him, and, smiling, said
“Don’t worry about losing control, Penn. You won’t be able to do it. Just let me finish, and relax, and you will be made ready for Jane.”
Penn then surrendered to Hypatia’s clever tongue and the moist cavern of her mouth. She was right. Despite his youth, and her skilful manipulation, he did not lose himself. The stimulation was becoming intense, and he began thrusting himself into her mouth, desperately wanting release.
“Be still, Penn,” Hypatia directed, and he ceased his movement.
Even when Hypatia’s stimulation was removed, Penn felt no decrease in his passion. It must be a magical block which prevented his release, and he knew not what would happen if it was lifted.
She gazed into his eyes, and wrapped her thumb and forefinger around the base of his penis.
“Shhhh, Penn, this might hurt a little ...”
Hypatia rotated her right hand, which tugged against his penis, although not painfully.
She still looked at him, almost apologetic, and recited some magic. Penn felt his insides churning. With her left hand, she made a chopping motion in the air. She smiled, and released him. Whatever she had done, was successful.
It took some time for Penn to realise what had changed.
His erection did not subside, and he began to feel as if something had been loosened inside himself, or cut. It was almost as if he were bleeding internally, and his blood was pooling inside himself, below the wound. It was not painful. On the contrary, Penn’s erection felt urgent, and the liquid feeling inside himself wanted some outlet.
Penn was beginning to feel fidgety, and uncomfortable, and concerned. He didn’t know if the draining feeling was real, or normal, or how it could resolve itself. The feeling was getting stronger, as if moving towards some climax, but it seemed more complicated than just an orgasm.
Hypatia kissed him, chastely, on the lips, and gave him another glass of the wine to drink.
“Here, this will steady your nerves. You may feel a little strange, but do not be worried. It is your wedding day, and you are to be a husband. I will help you, and Jane will help you, and your destiny is now written in stone.”
She knelt down in front of him, and tied a length of black leather cord in a dainty bow around the base of his penis.
The draining sensation halted, but he still felt riven from within, as if something inside him had been broken, or cut.
Penn wondered then about how life had changed for his father after marriage. He never entered his parent’s bedroom, was never allowed to enter. Penn had never seen his father, and all he knew about him he had heard from his mother, and from some of the other women in the village. Mr Fillis was still a presence in their lives, and Penn had always known that he was still with them, in the bedroom, somehow present, but no longer part of society.
Still, it was not as if he had a choice. He loved Jane, and he wanted to be married. If he was to be a part of her life, this was the only way.
Penn was grateful that he had had a more exciting life than most boys his age. It was time to move on, and to devote himself to keeping his wife happy.
Somehow he found himself at the alter of the Church, in his Saturday best, with his bride-to-be.
Jane was in a breathtaking white dress, with puffed sleeves, acres of tulle below, and dozens of tiny red roses sewn into her bountiful bodice. A garland of flowers crowned her lovely head of red hair, which was usually long and flowing, but had been tied back severely for today. A white, gauzy veil demurely hid her lovely eyes.
Hypatia spoke of love, and sacrifice, and children, and of all of the pleasures that a good marriage under the Gods would bring. The sermon did not depart from the norm, yet Penn felt that Hypatia was speaking to the two of them as a couple, with an intimacy that belied the dozens of people in the congregation.
Jane and Penn had memorised their vows, and spoke them with love, and devotion.
Penn thought that Jane seemed a little fidgety, a little bit more excited than he expected, and she seemed to speak fast, but he put this down to nerves.
With an exchange of “I dos”, they were married.
Hypatia turned to the congregation.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
Penn lifted Jane’s veil.
She faced him, and smiled.
She was beautiful. Her face was made up, and her lips were red, her features the ones he had fallen in love with.
However, Penn felt uneasy as he beheld her eyes.
He had seen that look before, though he knew not where. That look of hunger, of desire, an ultimate self-confidence. That look had the knowledge of how to manipulate him, how to dominate him, how to win him utterly. Her eyes were glassy, as if she were drugged.
Jane embraced him, and they kissed, and she touched his tongue with her own. She held his tongue with her teeth, gently, and Penn felt a drawing sensation, as if she wanted to take him into himself. Despite his unease, he responded. How could he not?
Applause filled the church.
Jane held his hand, and squeezed, and they began the long walk back down the aisle, shaking hands and kissing their friends.
Dee had tears in her eyes, and she held Penn for a long time.
They were both immeasurably happy at their reception. Jane always held him close by, and Penn’s feeling of disquiet remained buried beneath the surface. Penn spoke to everyone at that party, and, when taking his leave from each person, he felt like he was saying good bye.
At the appointed time, they waved their farewells, left the reception, and Penn carried Jane over the threshold of her new house, and to their bedroom. The villagers had made the bed magical with cushions, and petals, and exotic scents. Jane had already changed out of her bridal finery, and was dressed in a light, but elegant, summer dress.
It was a married woman’s room now, her inner sanctum, where none except Jane would come and go.
Jane closed the door, and locked it.
“Let me have you now, Penn. You are mine, Penn, and I shall give you all of my love.”
She led Penn to her bed, and laid him down. She carefully removed his clothes, and gave each part of his body moist, gentle, kisses. They felt so sweet to Penn, but each was accompanied with a faint suction, a drawing sensation, and he began to feel weaker.
Jane slipped out of her dress. A memory rose in Penn from the past, but he could not place it, and he delighted in her beauty, which Jane had saved for him, and she turned, so he could see all of her.
Her nipples were erect, and Penn could see small, dried, droplets of blood around her aureoles, as if someone had pricked her with a needle.
She straddled him, and offered him a breast to suckle, and he took it in his mouth. She placed his erection at her entrance, where she let it nestle.
“No hurry now, Penn, we have the rest of our lives to enjoy this.”
Rich, creamy, milk entered his mouth, and he half expected to be transported into one of Pamela’s visions from so long ago.
This milk’s effect was different. It warmed him, and excited him, but it seemed to curdle at his centre, where he still felt that something was broken.
Penn suckled for some time, and drained both of Jane’s breasts. By now he was almost aching, his erection straining for his beloved, his insides roiling with lust.
Jane bore down then, ever so slowly, and Penn marvelled at the silky, moist, softness which enclosed him, and he thought that he could feel her heartbeat like a series of embraces, tiny little embraces inside herself, which added sweet pleasure to his feeling of being surrounded.
Jane kissed him, and held him close, her breasts pressed against his chest.
“I love you, Penn, and I want this as I have never wanted anything in my life. Let yourself go, Penn, and I shall take care of you. Give yourself to me, it shall be so, so, sweet.”
Jane began to rock, and he pushed himself into her, straining to reach her centre, loving the feeling of her. They both enjoyed the new feelings, but Penn began to feel uncomfortable when he realized that he could not come, that Hypatia’s cord was blocking his completion.
“Tell me when, Penn, tell me when, and I shall release you.”
Penn continued to thrust, and he knew that there would be no turning back. The pleasure gathered itself in his centre, and he knew he would have to release it.
“Now, Jane, love ...”
Jane became still, and reached behind him, and released his choker charm, but did not let the ends part. With her other hand, she reached down, and found one end of Hypatia’s bow.
“Now, Penn,”
She removed Penn’s charm at the same time as she tugged at the bow at his penis.
Both were released.
Penn realised then what Hypatia had been doing. She had snapped the bonds which held his soul to his body, and, with cord gone, and his choker charm gone, he began to feel himself drift free.
Freed from the influence of the choker charm, his memories also began to return, and, as Jane prepared to take him, all he could think of was Madeleine, his beautiful Madeleine, held against the wall of that cave by Lilith’s tendrils, held in infinite pleasure, waiting for the time she would be needed again.
Penn was lost now.
He gazed into Jane’s eyes, and saw her hunger, the hunger of every married woman in the land.
Penn felt the effect of Hypatia’s magic as Jane began to draw him into herself.
He felt her walls pulse as she came, and she smiled, and he felt part of himself leave as she drew him in.
She licked his face then, playfully, and her sweet saliva marked him as her own.
While the bonds which held his soul to his body were broken, his soul was still intact. He found himself being drawn into her centre, and each time she came again, she smiled, as a little bit more of himself was drawn in, and he groaned each time in helpless pleasure, his very self being pulled out of his penis.
It was like drawing a huge bag of liquid through a tiny hole, with enough stretch in the bag to push a little bit more of the liquid, and a little bit more of its shell, through, and out, with each draining movement.
The process took many hours.
Penn’s thoughts and memories began to detach themselves from his brain, and Penn might have considered it amusing for his thoughts to be emanating from his stomach, if it were not for the all-consuming pleasure which Jane instilled as she brought him into herself.
He would exist now, floating inside Jane, perhaps to be her partner, perhaps to be absorbed by her own soul, devoured at leisure. His body would remain, soulless, able only to drink enough milk to stay alive, and to supply sperm for Jane’s children, or, perhaps, for pleasure, if she wished to lie with him.
It wasn’t enough.
Penn thought back on his memories of Madeleine, and Pamela, and of the tiny foetus which Lilith held within herself, his child, his child with his beloved Madeleine.
He loved Jane, she was beautiful, she was kind, she would look after him.
But it wasn’t enough.
If only Jane could remember the old times!
With his remaining strength, he reached around Jane’s neck, and pulled open her own choker charm.
Jane gasped, and fell forward onto him.
Penn was trapped, his soul still between bodies, and Jane insensate.
She moaned then, and looked at him.
Her eyes rolled back into her head.
“Ohhhh, Penn, she is so strong.”
He felt Jane’s spasms as she began to orgasm, uncontrollably, liquid gushing from her centre.
Then he felt Lilith. Lilith had left some of herself, inside Jane, trapped by her charm, waiting, waiting for a choice to be made.
Penn had made that choice, and had chosen Lilith, and there was no longer anything either of them could do.
Jane continued to moan, and she held Penn tightly as her soul was taken from her, for a second time, by Lilith’s hunger.
Penn felt himself surrounded, and Lilith was more practised than Jane had been. The drawing from Jane’s body became stronger, and he felt tendrils entering him, loosening the remaining threads which impeded his souls progress, caressing him, giving him the pleasure of a god as he was drawn though his penis, out of his body, and into the flesh of Lilith, and the shell of his betrothed.
Jane remained close, her soul joined to his, loving him, and he knew now what marriage to her would have entailed. Lilith offered something infinitely better for the both of them, and Penn knew they would never feel alone again.
Lilith squirmed her way out of Jane’s body, and began her surrounding.
Penn felt then the presence of the many who had been lost. There was Madeleine, and Pamela, and Poe, asleep in Lilith’s heart. There were the souls of the poor, dead healers, and there were so many others that he had never known, the hundreds in Toridé, his ancestors, all that had taken their final peace from the healers.
As his memories returned, he felt keenly Lilith’s sense of loss for those who had been released in the Sister’s burning fires, or who still remained imprisoned in her choker charms, her tears.
This time, Lilith opened his soul to all of the others she held within herself, and Penn felt that he had to consciously hold himself together. He that it would be so easy to let his own soul begin to merge with those around him. It would be so sweet, but if he were to let go, would he still have a sense of self?
Perhaps, in the end, he would let himself join with the oneness of Lilith, to become a part of her, with no boundary between Penn and Herself. For now, he would be content to be back in the company of those he loved, to be held within Lilith for eternity, or, if she so chose, to emerge into the light again, to live, like a mayfly, for a short time in the sunlight, before returning to her.
It was almost dawn before Lilith had finished her work.
Penn and Jane’s bodies commenced their walk towards Mrs Beale’s house.
If anyone else had been watching in that morning twilight, they would have hardly seen the pair for the shadows which surrounded them.
Only Tsanja, Dee and Mrs Beale watched, and waited, necks bare, on their doorstep. Mrs Beale had a satisfied smile on her face, knowing that she had been right all along, that she had made all the right choices.
She welcomed the happy couple back to her house as the sun peeked over the horizon, warming them all with its rays.
Penn and Jane were on their way home.
It was enough.