Await (6 page)

She jerked when he cupped her buttocks, but he merely stroked away the bruises left by his fingers.

Sighing, Orphia leaned her head on his chest and tried to ignore his gentle caresses between her thighs. His healing seemed to have a penetration depth of about four inches, so he had to insert a finger to heal her ass completely. The vine had been insistent, and when he had replaced it with his fingers, she hadn’t known which was worse, or better depending on her point of view.

Her channel was far less irritated, but when he tried to fit a finger inside, it was a struggle. He patiently healed, inched, healed, inched, and finally, her aches and pains were taken care of.

“Why were you talking with Orpheus?” She murmured it against his neck.

He shifted her to sit across his thighs. “I had to confirm that Inga was worth the trouble. And to be honest, it was nice to see another Hirn.”

Orphia chuckled, “I can definitely empathize with that. We may not be extinct, but there are few Terrans running loose up here. It is rare for two of us to run into each other. I miss my own kind.”

“They are all around us. I will see what we can rig for communication between levels.”

She blinked and laughed. “Right. I forgot about that. I was rather distracted, I suppose.”

“It happens in the first days as a Nameless.”

She yawned and nestled close to him, the warm water and warmer body under her made her sleepy. “What were you doing as the tree?”

“I gave them a resting place. It slowed them down enough to miss the raiding party that was ravaging the village. A few minutes early and they would have all been killed.”

“So, it actually was a
hurry up and wait
scenario.”

“Yes, it was. But at least there were ways to entertain ourselves that would not interfere with the destiny of those below.”

She blushed, “You really know how to throw a bomb into a conversation.”

He stroked her hair. “Did you not enjoy yourself?”

“You know I did. I merely feel self-conscious about my reactions.”

“Why? Your passion was lovely to behold.”

“Because no one has been watching for quite some time. I am usually my only audience.”

Speaking quietly into his shoulder made it less embarrassing, but when he lifted her chin to face him, there was no judgement in his features. His mild surprise was enough proof that he thought she was being silly.

Orphia raised her hand to touch his cheek, but a light flared from her skin before she touched him.

Images of a forest came to her and of a child who entered the glade where Orphia was to stand with Xeric at her side.

The next image came, and the child was older, this pattern repeated until it became clear to Orphia that they were to be there every time she needed them.

Orphia wanted to know whom this young girl was.

“We have an assignment.” She got off his lap and stepped out of the tub with a whoosh of water that was dwarfed by Xeric rising like a sea god from the deep.

“We?”

“Yes, we. Get into some leathers. We have to go and play forest god.”

He chortled and smacked her ass lightly as she towelled off. “Good, I know how to do that.”

She rolled her eyes and then flicked her towel at his backside, crowing with delight when the snap was successful. He gave her an astonished glare and stomped into the bedroom.

Snickering, she skipped along behind him, ignoring the puddles and heading for the Acquisitions terminal. She selected the clothing that she saw in her memory of the future and once again smirked. Tenses were hard.

She waited in the kitchen and nibbled on some crackers that she found in a cupboard. Tea seemed called for, so she prepared a pot while waiting for her clothing.

Xeric swaggered in, and she held out a cup for him.

“Acquisitions is running a little slow today.” She smiled happily. He was wearing darker brown leathers and black boot cuffs. His hooves were shiny, and his antlers had an oiled glow.

She had to admit. “You look very nice.”

“You said dress like a forest god, so I did.” He preened, his head high and antlers endangering the walls.

Her parcel slid through the chute, and she rubbed her hands gleefully. As annoying as parts of her job had been, she did love the dress-up part.

Grabbing the box, she tiptoed past him and into the bedroom. “No peeking.”

The leggings were wound leather. Open spirals showed a line of flesh from ankle to hip. Sandals, a leather coat with sleeves that matched the leggings and a bodice that lifted her breasts and cinched around her ribs, leaving her midriff exposed to all and sundry, all went on.

The high collar added a lovely touch when she pinned her hair into a loose mass on top of her head.

She walked out into the kitchen, and Xeric dropped his cup of tea. She looked like a dominatrix preparing for a tea party, and she loved every minute of it.

Chapter Ten

The little girl was a pastel pink, and she looked far too grown up for such a young child. They were standing in a group of ruins, and the little girl was stepping carefully but with head high.

“Ancients, I need advice. Please, come to me and offer me help on this sacred day.” She spoke deliberately with words she had memorized.

Orphia stepped forward, and Xeric walked next to her. “Yes, child? What do you need?”

The little girl opened her mouth wide in surprise. “You are real.”

Orphia looked to Xeric and back to the little girl. “Apparently. What help do you need, child?”

“Sorrow. My name is Sorrow.” The girl’s stoic features buckled, and she started to sob.

Orphia walked forward and took the young girl’s hands in her own. Her voice expressed her sympathy. “Hello, Sorrow.”

“Oh, lady.” The little girl lunged into her arms and sobbed.

Orphia held the small body in her arms while the child spilled out her tale of woe. Sorrow was the new queen of Hammio. Her father died two months earlier, and she was now in charge of fifteen thousand souls. This girl of nine had no idea how to handle the demands that were being placed on her head.

Xeric sat nearby, but he let Orphia take the lead.

“Sorrow, what happened on the day your father’s body was brought to its resting place?”

The girl sniffled and cuddled against Orphia. “We walked him to the lake, set him on the barge and let the beasts of the water take him.”

“That is how you need to treat those who come to you for boons or requests. They are the beasts of the water, and you are the body of the queen. They will try and take pieces of you. Some will have genuine need, others will be gorging. You have to determine the difference between the two.”

“How do I know what they want?” The girl was curious.

“You will know, Sorrow. You will always know. Think of your father, and do what he would think was right. Listen to your heart, and if it tells you something is wrong, something is wrong.”

Xeric stood, “It is time to go.”

Orphia pressed a kiss to Sorrow’s forehead and smiled. “You will do great things, Sorrow.”

Orphia stepped to Xeric, and he transported them both one year into the future.

They waited on the ruins, and Sorrow came to them again.

She smiled with delight. A flat metal band adorned her head, and she bowed low, “Lady, I have come on this sacred day to gain wisdom from the ancients.”

“Speak and tell me what you will.”

Sorrow ran forward and hugged her tight around the waist.

Orphia laughed, and they talked about the last year and how Sorrow was doing as queen until Xeric once again called time.

Ten times later, Sorrow was a woman who was dealing with the hazards of being an attractive queen with no affianced husband.

“The offers are coming from everywhere, Lady. I don’t know what to do.”

Orphia sat down on a rock, and the elegant Sorrow sat next to her. “Well, I will give you the advice that I heard generations ago. Always look for the man you can like. Love is wonderful, it is the best feeling in the universe, but if you don’t like the person that you love, it will fade quickly.

“For me, I like him as well as love him.” She turned to smile at Xeric who was sitting in shock. “He offers me support when I must act and keeps me in mind when he must act. It is a good combination, and I trust him with my life, my soul and all that I am.”

Sorrow looked over at Xeric and blushed. “He does seem like a lot to handle, Lady.”

He was grinning.

“I can manage him. The key to handling someone like him is to give him what he wants, but to make sure that you get what you want first.”

Sorrow frowned. “I don’t understand.”

Chuckling, Orphia wrapped her arm around the woman who was about to make a very nerve-wracking decision. “When it happens, you will know. Don’t fight fate, and let time take you where you need to be.”

Orphia got to her feet and walked to Xeric.

“Will I see you again, Lady?”

Orphia inclined her head. “One more time, Sorrow. You will see us one more time.”

Xeric wrapped his arms around Orphia, and they moved into the next year.

A storm was brewing, and they waited for Sorrow.

With a gown covered in crystals, Sorrow appeared out of the forest and walked up the steps of the ruin, every inch a queen. Her husband followed her and stared in shock at the Nameless on the ruin.

Orphia extended her hands, and Sorrow embraced her.

When the queen released her, Orphia curtseyed gracefully. “Greetings, Queen Sorrow.”

Sorrow smiled, “I have changed my name to Ayartha, an ancient word for laughter. It suits me much better to be Queen Ayartha, don’t you think?”

Orphia kissed her pink forehead and brushed back her snow-white hair. “I am glad that the time of Sorrow is over. Laughter is always preferable when I am given a choice.”

“Thank you, Lady. Thank you for coming to me when a lonely child called for wisdom. Your words have never steered me wrong, and my people are happy.”

“You were to follow your heart, I only confirmed that it was the right course of action.” Orphia was blushing.

Ayartha laughed. “Thank you, Nameless, for coming to a lonely child.”

Orphia’s lips twisted, “How long have you known?”

“Five years. Your hair never changes, and there is a tuft poking out like a fan in the back. It is obvious that you were moving through time and around the normal progression. It simply took me some time to find the records that explained what you were and why you came to me.”

Orphia smiled. “You are exceptional, and you needed a bit of help. Time provided it and sent me to carry it out. It was an honour.”

Xeric took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around her. “It is time.”

“Thank you as well, Forest Lord. It has been three thousand years since a Hirn touched our soil. We are glad that you are not one of the lone gods. She is a good match for you.”

Ayartha grinned and pressed a kiss to Orphia’s hand. “Thank you, Lady. I will treasure your words always.”

Orphia opened her mouth, but Xeric took her away in a burst of light. She sighed and turned in his arms. “I will miss her.”

“You knew her for six hours out of twelve years of her life.”

“I know, but watching someone grow puts them into a special place in your heart. Don’t argue with me, just pat my back and say,
there, there.
”

He stroked her back and rubbed her spine. “There, there.”

She chuckled and looked up at him. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome. Now, where did you get the idea for that clothing? It has been driving me mad for the last twelve years.”

She laughed as he flipped her up and over one shoulder, the tight leather kept his shoulder from digging into her too harshly, but his hand sliding up to cup her ass and then deliver a sharp smack that told her she was about to have an experiment of the discipline kind.

Frankly, she had always been curious as to what all the fuss was about. It seemed it was time to find out.

Chapter Eleven

His hand was coming down for the ninth time when her skin started to glow again.

“Damn it!” She had just started to turn from pain to pleasure, and her hands started to glow while her backside did the same in a very different way.

Images of a carriage, a gemstone and a small cottage showed her that this was not her ordinary target.

“Sorry to call off the fun and games, Xeric. This one is a solo mission.”

She rolled off his lap and onto a sore backside, winced and got to her feet. She was fortunate that he had only flipped the back of her coat up and over her head. She was still dressed.

“I will come with you.”

She buckled on her belt and dagger while the Orb filled her and turned her translucent. “Fine, but you will have to catch up.”

She heard his roar of protest as she was hurtled through time and space to land on top of the carriage in question.

The fabric called out for a knife, and so, she drew her dagger, slashed a hole and then dropped into the interior, stealing a bracelet with a huge gem from the startled male sitting inside.

Bracelet in hand, Orphia kicked open the carriage door, jumped to the ground, fell on her sore ass, got up and ran for it.

She heard a shout behind her, but her body was still see through, so it was not too likely that they would catch up to her.

As she ran, she thought to herself that the Nameless needed a treadmill or a gym to keep their bodies capable of this type of exertion. Three blocks, two barking guard animals and a jumped fence later, and she was at her target, she casually flipped the bracelet over a fence and into a garden.

Her duty discharged, the Orb switched her into watcher mode.

Orphia leaned on a wall in a nearby alley and waited.

Her victim came running through the street, and the young woman who lived in the cottage paused and lifted the bracelet from her garden.

“Sir, oh, sir, this was lying in my garden. Is it yours?”

He froze and looked her up and down. He must have liked what he saw, because he bowed low and accepted the bracelet, but he offered the woman something in exchange.