They walked for ways in silence, and then Raccoon yawned. She supposed they probably hadn't slept much since they arrived here.
After a moment of thought, she asked, "Would you like to climb onto my back?" Raccoon looked at her skeptically for a moment but then yawned again. The goddess bent her knees as Raccoon jumped and held onto her hips with their legs, wrapping their arms around her neck. Once she got them settled, she began walking again, and before she had taken more than a dozen steps, they were sleeping soundly. The goddess smiled to herself. Perhaps soon they would begin to dream.
Alone with her own thoughts, she went back over the interaction with the dark fae, grateful that they had found solutions that honored all parties. She didn't think Evan or his commander would appreciate the thought of the dark fae having more access to the human realm, but ultimately, that wasn't up to them to decide. And, besides, Dehaljadrun never promised they would get to keep the portals they made.
But, still, that was a later problem. Now that the dark fae had been dealt with, she needed to finish preparing for the volunteers, for her last night with Evan, and for Evan's trip to the Underworld. She shivered a little, thinking about sending Evan there, frowning slightly and shifting Raccoon into a more easeful position--they were beginning to slip.
Thus righted, Dehaljadrun finished the last section of the walk back, coming out into the meadow and the elaborate tree-trunk palace she had so recently created. It was awe-inspiring, and vining purple flowers had already begun winding up the base of the joined trunks in places. She sighed happily, grateful that she would have such an ostentatious display. She thought Evan would be pleased. Or perhaps he would be worried on account of how much magic it had all taken. But, there would be volunteers to replenish her soon, and Raccoon's steady warmth against her back pleased her deeply.
The goddess kneeled at the edge of where her palace met the meadow and gentled shifted Raccoon onto the ground where they quickly curled up on their side, clutching their tail sweetly between their legs. She smiled down at them for a moment, pulling their head onto her lap. They snuggled against her pleasantly but kept sleeping. Dehaljadrun pet their dark hair and found that small pointed ears had started growing out of their tangles. She scratched at the edges of them gently, enjoying the soft fur. Their dreams would be potent, then, if they were manifesting inside them. The goddess hummed. Raccoon's hand, where it rested on her thigh, softly dug its nail into her, and they were sharp points. The goddess hummed more deeply, almost a moan. And then, Raccoon's dream opened up to her.
They were at a banquet with all their favorite foods, trying first this one, then that one, delighted by each. Many of the foods Dehaljadrun did not recognize, and immediately she wondered, what would all the volunteers eat here? When the Shel'ti and soldier thralls were here, they hadn't needed anything of substance--they were not in her realm in body. And when Rorrim came to visit, he rarely stayed long enough to warrant a meal.
Staying just outside of Raccoon's dream, the goddess continued petting their hair and closed her eyes, willing a complex tangle of willow branches to twine with each other into a long, curved trellis--two trellises--one on either side of the entrance to her new palace. From there, she willed another species of grape, this one more enjoyable when fresh, to wrap around the willow. Next, she called up long purple dragon beans, lemon cucumbers, several varieties of squash, andchestnut trees heavy with spiky shells. Bready fruit trees emerged next, climbing toward the nearly dawning sun as it shifted through the fog.
Stroking Raccoon's hair, she gently coaxed some of the magic in their dream into herself, replenishing what she was using and only manipulating the dream slightly. Raccoon still ate on excitedly, tasting soups and salads, vegetables and... meats. Ah, yes. The humans would likely crave that, too, eventually. The goddess didn't know what to do about that, however. There were some animals she had coaxed from dreams that could be hunted, but they were rare and few. She would regret their loss. Perhaps it would be possible to manifest creatures, but Dehaljadrun felt uneasy about the idea of bringing a species into being for the sole purpose of being food.
Then, all at once, shadows crossed overhead, and two elderly feradons settled into the meadow, one a patchy light brown, the other entirely white. The enormous birds had soft fur, long necks, short beaks, nearly bald heads, large eyes, and wide feet. They quickly began to pick delicately at some of the fruits and vegetables the goddess had recently grown. And after a moment, they both turned to her, their eyes wide and intelligent, both of them bowing.
We are near the end of our lives, goddess, and would be pleased to be of service, they said, speaking directly into her mind in unison.
Dehaljadrun felt tears welling in her eyes, and she nodded to each of them in turn, grateful that the djinn had tended these great creatures so well all these years. They rarely flew this low in the valley. Walking closer to the goddess, they allowed her to set a hand on each of their flanks from where she sat, and they brought their foreheads to either side of her, the three of them sharing in the dream magic Raccoon offered.
Their dream shifted then toward a large, soft bed filled with downy feathers and a tangle of limbs. The goddess felt arousal stir in her and mix with gratitude. She felt her land waking up again. Perhaps, with the guests soon to arrive, they would all bask once again in the full glory of her magic--an abundance for all beings of her realm. Dehaljadrun cherished the thought.
Dehaljadrun: After Nights with Evan
Re: Dehaljadrun: After Nights with Evan
Ultimately, the feradons contented themselves with nesting near the fruits and vegetables, tucking their long necks under their wings in a resting pose. The goddess continued stroking Raccoon's hair as their dream faded and they entered into a deeper sleep, their mouth slack against her thigh.
Distantly, very distantly, the goddess heard a voice--the voice of the priestess.
Who will be first to offer themselves to the goddess' mists?
Dehaljadrun shivered. The ceremony in the human realm had begun. It would only be a matter of time now. How many of the thralls she had taken unwillingly would come back to her, she wondered? Trevor seemed likely. Nathan, probably. Philip and Ramanujan, she didn't know. Excitement built in her stomach at the thought.
In that same far distance, the goddess felt a tiny tremble of the earth as something hit the ground. A thick vine? A coil of rope perhaps. Another shiver ran down her spine.
Looking around, she wondered how exactly she wanted to receive the volunteers. Gently shifting Raccoon off her and back onto the ground, the goddess stood and stretched, walking into her palace. Looking around at the red and gold grass tapestries woven from her favorite moments with Evan and with Nathan, the warm steam coming off the pools in the center and up on the landing, the cushions against the pleasantly uneven root flooring, the goddess was deeply pleased. There was nothing to change--it was gorgeous and perfect, just as she had left it.
In the distance, the goddess heard a prayer, please, don't let him be alone in this state. It wasn't a voice Dehaljadrun recognized. But, if the voice was speaking to one of the volunteers, how could she do anything but? The goddess shivered again as she heard, You are securely bound.
She touched one side of the large opening into her palace, leaning momentarily on the bark as a ferocious craving ache throbbed within her. Who was coming to her willingly bound?
It must be Trevor, the goddess thought, smiling. Of any of the thralls she had created, she thought perhaps Trevor had enjoyed that helpless state the most. She could certainly make use of that again, she thought, thinking about how she had mentally summoned Trevor to bring a towel to Evan. The goddess licked her lips in anticipation.
Beyond the palace, she needed to prepare herself. Dehaljadrun wasn't about to meet her offerings in traveling clothes. After depositing her satchel into her secret compartment, thrilled that she would have the vial to use later, she stepped up the stairs on one side of her palace and sank into the pool fully clothed, allowing her manifested clothing to dissipate into mist and steam with the touch of the water. Scrubbing gently at her skin with a porous stone, the goddess willed the light of her fire to come through, shining across her skin.
Standing naked and dripping, she stepped out of the pool and walked back down the stairs, shivering again, this time at the sensation of the roots against her bare feet.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
I do. Definitely Trevor's voice. The imminence of his return delighted her and lit a fire in her chest.
Then, a chanting chorus of hundreds of voices. To the goddess! Gods, to be worshipped in this way again, not worshipped by an individual or even a small group, but properly worshipped by a crowd. The goddess moaned and let the sound echo off the wooden walls of the hollow trunks.
Back down on the main level again, the goddess turned to face the enormous, thick petals of the giant flowers that bloomed in the center of the main pool. Raising her arms, she summoned down mist and fog, fire and even sunlight to cloak her in shimmering diamonds, sliding with warm smoothness across her skin like a dozen whispered prayers. They were opalescent in the firelight, silver and lavender, rose and gold. Each diamond shape, which could individually fit into the palm of her hand, curved inward around her skin, connecting with a fine purple string that matched the exact color of her skin. The space between the opalescent diamond scales left much of her skin exposed, its glowing light adding to the overall shimmer.
The diamonds curved together into larger diamonds over her breasts and shoulders, meeting over her back and leaving a gaping diamond-shaped hole that framed the line of her spine as it plunged toward her sacrum. From there, the diamonds cascaded down her legs, creating a straight skirt that nearly touched the ground, her bare feet peeking out slightly from beneath.
Mussing her hair, Dehaljadrun's waves coalesced into long, loose curls, and she smirked, feeling every inch of her divinity. Remembering the scale she had given Evan and placed on the inside of his jacket, safely against his skin, the goddess sighed happily, thrilled that there were mere moments between now and reuniting with him.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
Yes! A new voice, full of exquisite delight and ecstasy. The goddess quivered and quaked, the diamonds clicking together pleasantly.
To the goddess! came the chorus of chanting voices once more. Her skin grew yet more vibrant, and her breathing was heavy. Her hips swayed, and the tip of her cock grazed the warmth of the diamond scales, starting to tent the chainmail dress in front of her slightly.
Walking back out into the meadow, the goddess summoned wooden torches--six of them and six again--in a broken semi-circle around the outside of the trellises. Above her, the sky grew dense with fog, the purple sun just now cresting over the densely forested horizon. Walking to the center of the meadow, the goddess placed her hand on the ground and felt into the damage she had done across her realm. She connected her realm to the magic, desire, anticipation, and excitement she felt coursing within her, allowing it to flow, to heal yet further, to be whole.
Dense, thick, black-purple leaves grew on sparse trees, darkening the light at the edges of the goddess' palace. They glinted in the sun's early light, making it look as though the entire forest had a silver glow.
Be clean, be refreshed, be whole, be loved. The priestess' voice again. The goddess bowed her head toward her land, accepting herself as a piece of it, as the whole of it. She would be free--she could feel it.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
I do. Philip's voice. The goddess' chest underwent an explosion, blasting away disbelief and leaving in its wake a tender acceptance and awe as she opened her eyes and looked toward the sky, tears quickly rushing out of her. She brought her arms around herself for a few moments but then brought them up toward the sky, a silent shout, cry, song, flowing from her vocal chords and tears. Philip, of all people, had forgiven her? Then she could surely forgive herself.
To the goddess! came the chorus of voices once more, and she stood, accepting this worship with a determined nod toward the forest. She would become better. She was better.
Distantly, very distantly, the goddess heard a voice--the voice of the priestess.
Who will be first to offer themselves to the goddess' mists?
Dehaljadrun shivered. The ceremony in the human realm had begun. It would only be a matter of time now. How many of the thralls she had taken unwillingly would come back to her, she wondered? Trevor seemed likely. Nathan, probably. Philip and Ramanujan, she didn't know. Excitement built in her stomach at the thought.
In that same far distance, the goddess felt a tiny tremble of the earth as something hit the ground. A thick vine? A coil of rope perhaps. Another shiver ran down her spine.
Looking around, she wondered how exactly she wanted to receive the volunteers. Gently shifting Raccoon off her and back onto the ground, the goddess stood and stretched, walking into her palace. Looking around at the red and gold grass tapestries woven from her favorite moments with Evan and with Nathan, the warm steam coming off the pools in the center and up on the landing, the cushions against the pleasantly uneven root flooring, the goddess was deeply pleased. There was nothing to change--it was gorgeous and perfect, just as she had left it.
In the distance, the goddess heard a prayer, please, don't let him be alone in this state. It wasn't a voice Dehaljadrun recognized. But, if the voice was speaking to one of the volunteers, how could she do anything but? The goddess shivered again as she heard, You are securely bound.
She touched one side of the large opening into her palace, leaning momentarily on the bark as a ferocious craving ache throbbed within her. Who was coming to her willingly bound?
It must be Trevor, the goddess thought, smiling. Of any of the thralls she had created, she thought perhaps Trevor had enjoyed that helpless state the most. She could certainly make use of that again, she thought, thinking about how she had mentally summoned Trevor to bring a towel to Evan. The goddess licked her lips in anticipation.
Beyond the palace, she needed to prepare herself. Dehaljadrun wasn't about to meet her offerings in traveling clothes. After depositing her satchel into her secret compartment, thrilled that she would have the vial to use later, she stepped up the stairs on one side of her palace and sank into the pool fully clothed, allowing her manifested clothing to dissipate into mist and steam with the touch of the water. Scrubbing gently at her skin with a porous stone, the goddess willed the light of her fire to come through, shining across her skin.
Standing naked and dripping, she stepped out of the pool and walked back down the stairs, shivering again, this time at the sensation of the roots against her bare feet.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
I do. Definitely Trevor's voice. The imminence of his return delighted her and lit a fire in her chest.
Then, a chanting chorus of hundreds of voices. To the goddess! Gods, to be worshipped in this way again, not worshipped by an individual or even a small group, but properly worshipped by a crowd. The goddess moaned and let the sound echo off the wooden walls of the hollow trunks.
Back down on the main level again, the goddess turned to face the enormous, thick petals of the giant flowers that bloomed in the center of the main pool. Raising her arms, she summoned down mist and fog, fire and even sunlight to cloak her in shimmering diamonds, sliding with warm smoothness across her skin like a dozen whispered prayers. They were opalescent in the firelight, silver and lavender, rose and gold. Each diamond shape, which could individually fit into the palm of her hand, curved inward around her skin, connecting with a fine purple string that matched the exact color of her skin. The space between the opalescent diamond scales left much of her skin exposed, its glowing light adding to the overall shimmer.
The diamonds curved together into larger diamonds over her breasts and shoulders, meeting over her back and leaving a gaping diamond-shaped hole that framed the line of her spine as it plunged toward her sacrum. From there, the diamonds cascaded down her legs, creating a straight skirt that nearly touched the ground, her bare feet peeking out slightly from beneath.
Mussing her hair, Dehaljadrun's waves coalesced into long, loose curls, and she smirked, feeling every inch of her divinity. Remembering the scale she had given Evan and placed on the inside of his jacket, safely against his skin, the goddess sighed happily, thrilled that there were mere moments between now and reuniting with him.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
Yes! A new voice, full of exquisite delight and ecstasy. The goddess quivered and quaked, the diamonds clicking together pleasantly.
To the goddess! came the chorus of chanting voices once more. Her skin grew yet more vibrant, and her breathing was heavy. Her hips swayed, and the tip of her cock grazed the warmth of the diamond scales, starting to tent the chainmail dress in front of her slightly.
Walking back out into the meadow, the goddess summoned wooden torches--six of them and six again--in a broken semi-circle around the outside of the trellises. Above her, the sky grew dense with fog, the purple sun just now cresting over the densely forested horizon. Walking to the center of the meadow, the goddess placed her hand on the ground and felt into the damage she had done across her realm. She connected her realm to the magic, desire, anticipation, and excitement she felt coursing within her, allowing it to flow, to heal yet further, to be whole.
Dense, thick, black-purple leaves grew on sparse trees, darkening the light at the edges of the goddess' palace. They glinted in the sun's early light, making it look as though the entire forest had a silver glow.
Be clean, be refreshed, be whole, be loved. The priestess' voice again. The goddess bowed her head toward her land, accepting herself as a piece of it, as the whole of it. She would be free--she could feel it.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
I do. Philip's voice. The goddess' chest underwent an explosion, blasting away disbelief and leaving in its wake a tender acceptance and awe as she opened her eyes and looked toward the sky, tears quickly rushing out of her. She brought her arms around herself for a few moments but then brought them up toward the sky, a silent shout, cry, song, flowing from her vocal chords and tears. Philip, of all people, had forgiven her? Then she could surely forgive herself.
To the goddess! came the chorus of voices once more, and she stood, accepting this worship with a determined nod toward the forest. She would become better. She was better.
Re: Dehaljadrun: After Nights with Evan
The goddess stood up and wiped her tears, looking around at all she had done again. Then she looked down at Raccoon, still curled up and sleeping, and she smiled.
Above her, the skies grew ever darker, and she thought it might begin to rain or perhaps even storm. The diamonds on her dress darkened, turning a deeper purple, and electricity danced down her arms.
Ominous forest, familiar and strange! a booming voice, followed by a chorus of voices. The sound startled the goddess, and she closed her eyes to listen. There were other words, but she could not make them out individually. She only felt the afterimage of them--hungry wolves and a sense of inevitability.
Sacred clearing familiar and strange! Dehaljadrun's eyes snapped open, and now the sensation was, indeed familiar, but she still couldn't place the voice. A woman's voice, she thought. One of the captains? A slight fear rose into the goddess' throat, though the rest of her body shivered again and ached.
Lonely landscape, familiar and strange! Her realm, perhaps? Was it a poem? The idea pleased her, though it was not often a form of worship granted to her. A memory the goddess did not quite recognize threatened to burst through her mind, but she was distracted by thinking of Yukiko of all people. Yukiko, and her son. Ponderance.
Gods, she hadn't thought of him since she had approached the dark fae, she thought guiltily. The toy horse was in the satchel, which she had placed in the compartment. It was some miracle that the boy hadn't contacted her during the negotiation, she supposed. Even captured again by his father, he didn't need her. And really, what could she do from here?
Primordial mountain, familiar and strange! called the woman's voice, and now the memory of being curled around Nathan in the womb cave of the mountain came swiftly to mind, and the goddess smiled, grateful that she would soon be welcoming him into her warmth again.
She felt strongly that she needed to retrieve the toy horse, to keep it close even now. Perhaps she could send a prayer to Ponderance--surely he could appreciate that? She approached the compartment and opened it, rifling through the satchel to find the horse just as she heard, Complex body, familiar and strange! echo through her, and she closed her eyes, confused and embarrassed. Could she send a prayer to Ponderance as aroused as she was? Would he be ashamed for his mother to be so full of desire?
But, then again, surely, even as young as he was, he could understand that this was fundamentally her nature. She could not separate herself from the ache that built within her. It had been at least part of what created him.
Holding the toy horse in her hand, she came back out to the center of the meadow as she sent a wordless prayer of gratitude, awe, and apology through the miraculous gift her son had managed to get to her, filled with her own magic from the shimmer created in the human realm.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
I do, the goddess heard, and it was definitely Nathan's voice now. She sighed gratefully. It would be good to have him back. Three of the four of her original soldiers were returning to her, at least as far as she yet knew.
To the goddess! Dehaljadrun heard, and she used the energy created in that many-voiced chant to send her prayer to Ponderance. May he use it well.
And perhaps she should say something to Ponderance, just to let him know that she would likely be preoccupied. Surely that was within her right? But did her right matter when he was in danger? Yet, surely Rorrim would not harm the boy. Whatever Rorrim's motives had been, he cared for the boy--he wouldn't have demanded him back otherwise.
"Ponderance," the goddess said to the horse, rubbing the rune. There was no answer. She spoke further anyway. "I am doing everything I can here to replenish my magic. I promise you won't be stuck with your father for long. I will come for you. I will." Still no response, but she trusted that the prayer she had sent, at least, had made it to him. That had to be enough.
Deciding that she had done what she could to honor their connection, she set the toy horse just on the inside of the large trunk opening of her palace, close enough to hear if he needed her, but not immediately where she could see it. She didn't need to torment herself with what was presently outside her control.
The goddess took some deep breaths, trying to reconnect to the ceremony happening in the human realm as she returned to the clearing, but for a few moments, she couldn't hear anything. She only found herself with the urge to add jewelry to what she was already wearing. The scales of her dress, a dark shimmering opalescent now, were warm with her skin as she ran her hands down the length of her torso.
Dehaljadrun added a diadem of similar diamond-shaped scales over her hair, pulling the sides of her hair back underneath it. Scales appeared in a few places over her bare feet, shimmering themselves with the returning glow of her skin. And then, the goddess added a necklace of the lighter opalescent scales from earlier, craving contrast.
Still uneasy and trying to recover, she opened her palms and swayed back and forth in the clearing, beginning to dance. The rustle of the wind through leaves began to sound like music as she opened herself again to the landscape, freeing herself of her own doubt and guilt once more. On a whim, she twirled and leaped, pleased with the way the scales of her dress moved with the changes in gravity. She continued dancing, confident enough that no one could see her. And, really, if the dark fae had spies watching her, why did she care? This was what was important--relishing in the freely given worship.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
Yes, a woman replied confidently, a peaceful serenity in her voice. The goddess hummed with curiosity. It had been quite some time since a woman had come to her realm.
The goddess swayed again lightly as the wind continued to pick up, the static electricity growing more dense in the air. Dehaljadrun mused about if the scales in her dress would conduct electricity and decided that they would, eager to have someone to try that out with as her thighs unconsciously clenched and her cock ached. She let out another moan and on a whim turned around to see Raccoon begin to rouse behind her, wiping their eyes with their fists. She turned toward them and placed a hand on her hip, deciding to stay in the center of the meadow, a smirk on her face.
"What's happening?" Raccoon asked sleepily. Perhaps even they could sense the electricity building in the air.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
The goddess realized that Raccoon likely could not hear the voices from the human realm the way she could, but she also could not yet respond. Instead, she closed her eyes and lifted her head toward the stormy sky.
Yes! Yes, I do, said a new, eager voice.
To the goddess! came the clamor of voices, and Dehaljadrun allowed two bolts of lightning to strike just outside the clearing. Raccoon and the two feradons startled and shrunk closer to the ground, though none of them otherwise moved, wide-eyed and stunned. The goddess was quickly gaining potency now, and she laughed into the wind, giddy with the thrill of it all and how near all the volunteers felt.
Above her, the skies grew ever darker, and she thought it might begin to rain or perhaps even storm. The diamonds on her dress darkened, turning a deeper purple, and electricity danced down her arms.
Ominous forest, familiar and strange! a booming voice, followed by a chorus of voices. The sound startled the goddess, and she closed her eyes to listen. There were other words, but she could not make them out individually. She only felt the afterimage of them--hungry wolves and a sense of inevitability.
Sacred clearing familiar and strange! Dehaljadrun's eyes snapped open, and now the sensation was, indeed familiar, but she still couldn't place the voice. A woman's voice, she thought. One of the captains? A slight fear rose into the goddess' throat, though the rest of her body shivered again and ached.
Lonely landscape, familiar and strange! Her realm, perhaps? Was it a poem? The idea pleased her, though it was not often a form of worship granted to her. A memory the goddess did not quite recognize threatened to burst through her mind, but she was distracted by thinking of Yukiko of all people. Yukiko, and her son. Ponderance.
Gods, she hadn't thought of him since she had approached the dark fae, she thought guiltily. The toy horse was in the satchel, which she had placed in the compartment. It was some miracle that the boy hadn't contacted her during the negotiation, she supposed. Even captured again by his father, he didn't need her. And really, what could she do from here?
Primordial mountain, familiar and strange! called the woman's voice, and now the memory of being curled around Nathan in the womb cave of the mountain came swiftly to mind, and the goddess smiled, grateful that she would soon be welcoming him into her warmth again.
She felt strongly that she needed to retrieve the toy horse, to keep it close even now. Perhaps she could send a prayer to Ponderance--surely he could appreciate that? She approached the compartment and opened it, rifling through the satchel to find the horse just as she heard, Complex body, familiar and strange! echo through her, and she closed her eyes, confused and embarrassed. Could she send a prayer to Ponderance as aroused as she was? Would he be ashamed for his mother to be so full of desire?
But, then again, surely, even as young as he was, he could understand that this was fundamentally her nature. She could not separate herself from the ache that built within her. It had been at least part of what created him.
Holding the toy horse in her hand, she came back out to the center of the meadow as she sent a wordless prayer of gratitude, awe, and apology through the miraculous gift her son had managed to get to her, filled with her own magic from the shimmer created in the human realm.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
I do, the goddess heard, and it was definitely Nathan's voice now. She sighed gratefully. It would be good to have him back. Three of the four of her original soldiers were returning to her, at least as far as she yet knew.
To the goddess! Dehaljadrun heard, and she used the energy created in that many-voiced chant to send her prayer to Ponderance. May he use it well.
And perhaps she should say something to Ponderance, just to let him know that she would likely be preoccupied. Surely that was within her right? But did her right matter when he was in danger? Yet, surely Rorrim would not harm the boy. Whatever Rorrim's motives had been, he cared for the boy--he wouldn't have demanded him back otherwise.
"Ponderance," the goddess said to the horse, rubbing the rune. There was no answer. She spoke further anyway. "I am doing everything I can here to replenish my magic. I promise you won't be stuck with your father for long. I will come for you. I will." Still no response, but she trusted that the prayer she had sent, at least, had made it to him. That had to be enough.
Deciding that she had done what she could to honor their connection, she set the toy horse just on the inside of the large trunk opening of her palace, close enough to hear if he needed her, but not immediately where she could see it. She didn't need to torment herself with what was presently outside her control.
The goddess took some deep breaths, trying to reconnect to the ceremony happening in the human realm as she returned to the clearing, but for a few moments, she couldn't hear anything. She only found herself with the urge to add jewelry to what she was already wearing. The scales of her dress, a dark shimmering opalescent now, were warm with her skin as she ran her hands down the length of her torso.
Dehaljadrun added a diadem of similar diamond-shaped scales over her hair, pulling the sides of her hair back underneath it. Scales appeared in a few places over her bare feet, shimmering themselves with the returning glow of her skin. And then, the goddess added a necklace of the lighter opalescent scales from earlier, craving contrast.
Still uneasy and trying to recover, she opened her palms and swayed back and forth in the clearing, beginning to dance. The rustle of the wind through leaves began to sound like music as she opened herself again to the landscape, freeing herself of her own doubt and guilt once more. On a whim, she twirled and leaped, pleased with the way the scales of her dress moved with the changes in gravity. She continued dancing, confident enough that no one could see her. And, really, if the dark fae had spies watching her, why did she care? This was what was important--relishing in the freely given worship.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
Yes, a woman replied confidently, a peaceful serenity in her voice. The goddess hummed with curiosity. It had been quite some time since a woman had come to her realm.
The goddess swayed again lightly as the wind continued to pick up, the static electricity growing more dense in the air. Dehaljadrun mused about if the scales in her dress would conduct electricity and decided that they would, eager to have someone to try that out with as her thighs unconsciously clenched and her cock ached. She let out another moan and on a whim turned around to see Raccoon begin to rouse behind her, wiping their eyes with their fists. She turned toward them and placed a hand on her hip, deciding to stay in the center of the meadow, a smirk on her face.
"What's happening?" Raccoon asked sleepily. Perhaps even they could sense the electricity building in the air.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
The goddess realized that Raccoon likely could not hear the voices from the human realm the way she could, but she also could not yet respond. Instead, she closed her eyes and lifted her head toward the stormy sky.
Yes! Yes, I do, said a new, eager voice.
To the goddess! came the clamor of voices, and Dehaljadrun allowed two bolts of lightning to strike just outside the clearing. Raccoon and the two feradons startled and shrunk closer to the ground, though none of them otherwise moved, wide-eyed and stunned. The goddess was quickly gaining potency now, and she laughed into the wind, giddy with the thrill of it all and how near all the volunteers felt.
Re: Dehaljadrun: After Nights with Evan
"They're on their way," the goddess said to Raccoon after her lightning display, her voice husky.
Raccoon looked around, and the goddess thought they seemed anxious, out of place perhaps. Ultimately, they went over to one of trellises and pulled off a small bunch of grapes before peering down gently at one of the feradons. The white one allowed Raccoon to stroke the fur on its flank, and Raccoon hummed, settling down next to them.
Heyy-yeyy-YAH! the goddess heard, loud and pleading through her mind. Her hands flew to her heart as a longing shot through her, followed by the open, blooming sensation of awe.
It was an old call, an ancient, primordial cry, and it sent a quivering echo throughout the goddess' bones. Who was this magic being offering her worship, coming to her realm? The goddess turned around and looked out into her forest as though it would offer an answer.
Hoo-weyy-yeyy-yah! This sound felt less sacred, less ancient--it was more playful, like a wolf's howl. Other ecstatic, wild howls from the crowd followed, echoing around the goddess in wild, primal glee. The goddess smiled darkly to herself, her excitement building. Someone with a sacred cry and the ability to invite others into such divinity--she wanted them here, with her, and she would have them, soon.
The goddess swayed again, the wind licking her loose curls. The sound of her dress clinking together pleased her as she walked to one side of the clearing and then the other. Electricity arched over her body again, and she slid her hands down herself, reveling in the chorus of voices. Again, there was something that felt foreign to her about this kind of worship--almost as though it belonged to some other god--but that wasn't going to stop her from accepting it.
She laughed wildly, the taste on her tongue metallic with anticipation. They were nearing completion. They would be here soon. Evan would be here soon.
And then, all at once, there was a reverent silence, causing a ringing in Dehaljadrun's mind. Gods, she wanted this person and all their ability to conduct a crowd. She salivated at the thought that they had done it for her.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
Yes, the returning voice confidently offered, though it was tinged with surprise and a touch of hesitation. That piqued the goddess' interest. What was keeping this being from offering themselves fully to her? she wondered.
To the goddess! said a single, resounding voice full of complex emotions--sorrow, longing, gratitude--followed then by a chorus of other voices. Someone, the goddess quickly realized, someone powerful and respected, does not want this person to come to me, not wholly.
Dehaljadrun tilted her head in curiosity, her fingers dancing through the air idly. She did not want to infringe on others' agency the way she had in the past, not for their own sake, at least. But what of the pain she might be causing others? She shook her head. This person, whoever they were, was still coming to her willingly. They had made their choice.
And then the goddess felt a resounding shake beneath her--or maybe through her--as she felt one of the volunteers kneel. Trevor, she thought, holding the experience of his body in her two hands as they reached up to grip her own shoulders. Perhaps the rope had gotten the better of him. She smirked at the thought.
She looked over her shoulder at Raccoon, wondering what they thought of her display, especially given that they could not hear anything happening, but they kept contentedly stroking the feradon, much to the bird's delight. They were pleased, and all that was left was for the goddess to enjoy herself.
And then, the song began.
There was a distant, ethereal falsetto that brought the goddess to her knees. She pressed her palms into the ground, her heart beating fast, chest swelling with love. Then, the voice fell to a gorgeous tenor, speaking of cliffsides and water, smoke and caves, velvet and obsidian. By the time they spoke of a formless, melancholic loneliness, the goddess was in tears, grasping at her chest. She felt wholly seen and known by the this unknown voice, putting words to the ache of time she had spent trapped.
The goddess had the impression that the song was incomplete somehow, or stopped short, but that hadn't hampered its beauty or reverence in the slightest.
In the meantime, the storm above had darkened, though, in her realm, day had only just dawned. The wind picked up yet further, and the goddess felt a dervish lift her dress as the air danced at her bare feet.
With her hands, she wove the wind into more of a frenzy, standing as she allowed it to sweep her off her feet and into the air, opening her arms to the storm and the sky as occasional raindrops fell.
On a whim, she soared higher into the sky, much of her body obscured from view by the swirling clouds beneath her. Higher and higher above her palace she went, enjoying seeing her new palace from this height. The thin air made her lungs ache, but she wanted her entire realm to feel the glory of the song she had just heard, for every being in her realm to feel a completion she herself had missed in the song.
Guided wholly by intuition, she began to sing in response, crying out wordlessly into the rolling thunder at first but then formulating music out of her sounds to match the rolling clouds around her. Light emanated from her in all directions as she echoed out her own incomplete desires--for freedom, for love, for worship--and the incredible proximity to satisfaction the goddess felt finally, finally coming into being.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
I do. Dehaljadrun didn't need his words to tell her that, but she was grateful for them nonetheless, holding them warmly in her chest.
To the goddess! the chorus called, and the goddess rejoiced.
She took a deep breath, then, mentally counting the volunteers who had offered themselves so far. There couldn't be many more. One, maybe two. She swallowed with the anticipation of it all, staring out over the stormy landscape of her realm--toward the djinn and their mountains, toward the fae and their shimmering buildings, toward the roiling ocean and the sacred grove that held the pool of her tree. It was beautiful and hungry. She felt it aching--as she did--beneath her.
Dehaljadrun actually found herself grateful for the renewed relationship she was creating with the dark fae, and with the feradons having freely offered herself, she wondered about the possibility of a rebuilt relationship with the djinn as well. She didn't have to seclude herself anymore, surely. She never truly needed to--she had only been afraid, unnerved, uncomfortable. Craving... peers, the goddess supposed. But there was hope here, now. Evan and the people he was bringing to her had already changed that.
Closing her eyes now, the goddess felt the sensations of hands at her own hips, worshipful hands, and she moaned into the swirling winds. A flare of embarrassment welled in her for reasons she did not understand as her cock throbbed and her breasts swelled, the cravings becoming thoroughly physical as the wind moved the smooth scales of her dress across her body. But, she reminded herself, no one was watching her here in the sky, and there was nothing to do except invite all this worship in and receive it.
So, she did, sliding her hands over her dress and her cock, moaning again into the wind. Soon, there would be more hands available than she knew what to do with, and she laughed with delight at the thought. How long had it been since so many bodies had truly and fully worshipped her?
She slid her hands over her backside then, relishing in the feel of the body she had sculpted for herself, offering gratitude for her shape and the ways it had shaped her over the years. Dehaljadrun would thoroughly enjoy offering her body to her offerings. Again and again and again.
May this man find the happiness he is looking for, came a voice, and far be it from the goddess to deny a request in this state.
"May it be so," the goddess said aloud, lending her magic to the imperfect weavings of fate.
And then the goddess felt heavy in her ache, the gravity of all the offerings and thoughtful worship too potent even for the whipping winds to hold up. She was being pulled back toward the ground, toward the meadow, toward the beings who would soon cross the threshold into her realm.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
Yes, the last volunteer said, and the goddess felt it through every part of her body, her magic delighting in the single syllable.
As the wind began to bring her back down toward her meadow, she began chanting her own name, making an offering to herself and all she was becoming.
"De... Dehal... Dehaljadrun," she said as lovingly as any of her lovers ever had.
"De... Dehal... Dehaljadrun," she said more loudly, halfway down to her meadow, the sound echoing through her bones as they knew themselves within her.
And, just before her bare feet touched the earth of her realm once again, she yelled into the swirl, "De... Dehal... DehaljaDRUN!" And, all at once around her, a crack of invisible lightning resounded around her, opening a glowing fissure crack in the air. Blinking in wild disbelief, the goddess stared in shock. A natural portal was opening? What magic had Evan weaved, what ceremony had the priestess constructed, that was potent enough to do this?
It was happening. The realms were connected and opening for her.
Softly, the commanding voice from before--Evan's commander's voice--lowered itself to barely a whisper.
"To the goddess. To the goddess. To the goddess." It was no less potent for the lack of volume, and Dehaljadrun offered a prayer of gratitude to everyone who had participated in giving her this great honor. At long last, she truly felt worthy of it.
She inclined her head, watching with awe and amazement as the portal widened and grew, the winds of her earlier tornado settling but still swirling about the area. The portal was enormous, almost large enough for all her offerings to walk through simultaneously.
"May you never doubt our gratitude for what you have done here. You will be remembered!" the commander then yelled loud enough for the goddess to hear through the opening portal. And then, suddenly, she could see them all, all the volunteers and the crowd behind them--all the captains, the commander, the priestess--Evan as he hugged Xavier. And she suspected that they--or at least, some of them, could see her, glowing in all her glory, curls loose in the wind.
"It's time," the priestess said into the wind, into the crowd, and Dehaljadrun's skin flared with electricity and glow, sending out a pulse and throb--a gentle tug on everything that was now hers.
And then, first to respond, a white-blond man, nude and adorned with vining purple flowers, crossed the threshold into her realm of dreams and mist.
((OOC: I'm imagined that the portal is opaque to some and more transparent to others. Play with that as you will.))
Raccoon looked around, and the goddess thought they seemed anxious, out of place perhaps. Ultimately, they went over to one of trellises and pulled off a small bunch of grapes before peering down gently at one of the feradons. The white one allowed Raccoon to stroke the fur on its flank, and Raccoon hummed, settling down next to them.
Heyy-yeyy-YAH! the goddess heard, loud and pleading through her mind. Her hands flew to her heart as a longing shot through her, followed by the open, blooming sensation of awe.
It was an old call, an ancient, primordial cry, and it sent a quivering echo throughout the goddess' bones. Who was this magic being offering her worship, coming to her realm? The goddess turned around and looked out into her forest as though it would offer an answer.
Hoo-weyy-yeyy-yah! This sound felt less sacred, less ancient--it was more playful, like a wolf's howl. Other ecstatic, wild howls from the crowd followed, echoing around the goddess in wild, primal glee. The goddess smiled darkly to herself, her excitement building. Someone with a sacred cry and the ability to invite others into such divinity--she wanted them here, with her, and she would have them, soon.
The goddess swayed again, the wind licking her loose curls. The sound of her dress clinking together pleased her as she walked to one side of the clearing and then the other. Electricity arched over her body again, and she slid her hands down herself, reveling in the chorus of voices. Again, there was something that felt foreign to her about this kind of worship--almost as though it belonged to some other god--but that wasn't going to stop her from accepting it.
She laughed wildly, the taste on her tongue metallic with anticipation. They were nearing completion. They would be here soon. Evan would be here soon.
And then, all at once, there was a reverent silence, causing a ringing in Dehaljadrun's mind. Gods, she wanted this person and all their ability to conduct a crowd. She salivated at the thought that they had done it for her.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
Yes, the returning voice confidently offered, though it was tinged with surprise and a touch of hesitation. That piqued the goddess' interest. What was keeping this being from offering themselves fully to her? she wondered.
To the goddess! said a single, resounding voice full of complex emotions--sorrow, longing, gratitude--followed then by a chorus of other voices. Someone, the goddess quickly realized, someone powerful and respected, does not want this person to come to me, not wholly.
Dehaljadrun tilted her head in curiosity, her fingers dancing through the air idly. She did not want to infringe on others' agency the way she had in the past, not for their own sake, at least. But what of the pain she might be causing others? She shook her head. This person, whoever they were, was still coming to her willingly. They had made their choice.
And then the goddess felt a resounding shake beneath her--or maybe through her--as she felt one of the volunteers kneel. Trevor, she thought, holding the experience of his body in her two hands as they reached up to grip her own shoulders. Perhaps the rope had gotten the better of him. She smirked at the thought.
She looked over her shoulder at Raccoon, wondering what they thought of her display, especially given that they could not hear anything happening, but they kept contentedly stroking the feradon, much to the bird's delight. They were pleased, and all that was left was for the goddess to enjoy herself.
And then, the song began.
There was a distant, ethereal falsetto that brought the goddess to her knees. She pressed her palms into the ground, her heart beating fast, chest swelling with love. Then, the voice fell to a gorgeous tenor, speaking of cliffsides and water, smoke and caves, velvet and obsidian. By the time they spoke of a formless, melancholic loneliness, the goddess was in tears, grasping at her chest. She felt wholly seen and known by the this unknown voice, putting words to the ache of time she had spent trapped.
The goddess had the impression that the song was incomplete somehow, or stopped short, but that hadn't hampered its beauty or reverence in the slightest.
In the meantime, the storm above had darkened, though, in her realm, day had only just dawned. The wind picked up yet further, and the goddess felt a dervish lift her dress as the air danced at her bare feet.
With her hands, she wove the wind into more of a frenzy, standing as she allowed it to sweep her off her feet and into the air, opening her arms to the storm and the sky as occasional raindrops fell.
On a whim, she soared higher into the sky, much of her body obscured from view by the swirling clouds beneath her. Higher and higher above her palace she went, enjoying seeing her new palace from this height. The thin air made her lungs ache, but she wanted her entire realm to feel the glory of the song she had just heard, for every being in her realm to feel a completion she herself had missed in the song.
Guided wholly by intuition, she began to sing in response, crying out wordlessly into the rolling thunder at first but then formulating music out of her sounds to match the rolling clouds around her. Light emanated from her in all directions as she echoed out her own incomplete desires--for freedom, for love, for worship--and the incredible proximity to satisfaction the goddess felt finally, finally coming into being.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
I do. Dehaljadrun didn't need his words to tell her that, but she was grateful for them nonetheless, holding them warmly in her chest.
To the goddess! the chorus called, and the goddess rejoiced.
She took a deep breath, then, mentally counting the volunteers who had offered themselves so far. There couldn't be many more. One, maybe two. She swallowed with the anticipation of it all, staring out over the stormy landscape of her realm--toward the djinn and their mountains, toward the fae and their shimmering buildings, toward the roiling ocean and the sacred grove that held the pool of her tree. It was beautiful and hungry. She felt it aching--as she did--beneath her.
Dehaljadrun actually found herself grateful for the renewed relationship she was creating with the dark fae, and with the feradons having freely offered herself, she wondered about the possibility of a rebuilt relationship with the djinn as well. She didn't have to seclude herself anymore, surely. She never truly needed to--she had only been afraid, unnerved, uncomfortable. Craving... peers, the goddess supposed. But there was hope here, now. Evan and the people he was bringing to her had already changed that.
Closing her eyes now, the goddess felt the sensations of hands at her own hips, worshipful hands, and she moaned into the swirling winds. A flare of embarrassment welled in her for reasons she did not understand as her cock throbbed and her breasts swelled, the cravings becoming thoroughly physical as the wind moved the smooth scales of her dress across her body. But, she reminded herself, no one was watching her here in the sky, and there was nothing to do except invite all this worship in and receive it.
So, she did, sliding her hands over her dress and her cock, moaning again into the wind. Soon, there would be more hands available than she knew what to do with, and she laughed with delight at the thought. How long had it been since so many bodies had truly and fully worshipped her?
She slid her hands over her backside then, relishing in the feel of the body she had sculpted for herself, offering gratitude for her shape and the ways it had shaped her over the years. Dehaljadrun would thoroughly enjoy offering her body to her offerings. Again and again and again.
May this man find the happiness he is looking for, came a voice, and far be it from the goddess to deny a request in this state.
"May it be so," the goddess said aloud, lending her magic to the imperfect weavings of fate.
And then the goddess felt heavy in her ache, the gravity of all the offerings and thoughtful worship too potent even for the whipping winds to hold up. She was being pulled back toward the ground, toward the meadow, toward the beings who would soon cross the threshold into her realm.
Do you intend to serve the goddess of desire, of shadow, of mist, and of purpose of your own free will?
Yes, the last volunteer said, and the goddess felt it through every part of her body, her magic delighting in the single syllable.
As the wind began to bring her back down toward her meadow, she began chanting her own name, making an offering to herself and all she was becoming.
"De... Dehal... Dehaljadrun," she said as lovingly as any of her lovers ever had.
"De... Dehal... Dehaljadrun," she said more loudly, halfway down to her meadow, the sound echoing through her bones as they knew themselves within her.
And, just before her bare feet touched the earth of her realm once again, she yelled into the swirl, "De... Dehal... DehaljaDRUN!" And, all at once around her, a crack of invisible lightning resounded around her, opening a glowing fissure crack in the air. Blinking in wild disbelief, the goddess stared in shock. A natural portal was opening? What magic had Evan weaved, what ceremony had the priestess constructed, that was potent enough to do this?
It was happening. The realms were connected and opening for her.
Softly, the commanding voice from before--Evan's commander's voice--lowered itself to barely a whisper.
"To the goddess. To the goddess. To the goddess." It was no less potent for the lack of volume, and Dehaljadrun offered a prayer of gratitude to everyone who had participated in giving her this great honor. At long last, she truly felt worthy of it.
She inclined her head, watching with awe and amazement as the portal widened and grew, the winds of her earlier tornado settling but still swirling about the area. The portal was enormous, almost large enough for all her offerings to walk through simultaneously.
"May you never doubt our gratitude for what you have done here. You will be remembered!" the commander then yelled loud enough for the goddess to hear through the opening portal. And then, suddenly, she could see them all, all the volunteers and the crowd behind them--all the captains, the commander, the priestess--Evan as he hugged Xavier. And she suspected that they--or at least, some of them, could see her, glowing in all her glory, curls loose in the wind.
"It's time," the priestess said into the wind, into the crowd, and Dehaljadrun's skin flared with electricity and glow, sending out a pulse and throb--a gentle tug on everything that was now hers.
And then, first to respond, a white-blond man, nude and adorned with vining purple flowers, crossed the threshold into her realm of dreams and mist.
((OOC: I'm imagined that the portal is opaque to some and more transparent to others. Play with that as you will.))