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thecandywrites · 20 days

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Anastaschia High Priestess of Luna- Chapter 6

So while it's been a hot minute since I've gotten a chance to circle back to this. I have not forgotten or abandoned this- not by a longshot. Thanks for reading.

Stasi Chapter 6

For the next three months, Broman did nothing but help you and your mother every single day and began courting your mother “properly”, well, according to him, his own traditions and customs. But it began to include so much more than what you or your mother could hope to comprehend.

Because once you returned and ever since, your mother had no trouble taking his courting gifts and confirmed his courtship to any and all who asked, as did you making sure all knew that Broman had adopted you as your Papah, and was currently courting your mother. Something you were exceedingly happy about.

However, since you returned from that initial weekend of worship in the woods, Broman’s official courting- seemed to involve so much more than physical gifts, or even loving, kind words and assurances and reassurances, but so many acts of service in caring for you, your mother and her new home. He shored up the loft and the banister, to make sure that you could put anything you and your mother wanted up there and it would never fall, even chests of pure gold, and it wouldn’t budge and was quite safe. He even fixed every spot in the roof that dare show any sign of leaking- and changed it from a thatched roof, to a tiled one, something not easy to do or inexpensive but- would last for decades, if not, a lifetime or two, and the noise it made when the rain fell, was always extra soothing. He even paid for new windows of glass to be put in to let in light to the house too- while he adored the special screens Selene put in frames to have in the open windows to let light and air in but keep the bugs out, and now, together, they made the house much more comfortable.

He also threw himself into his own training during his shifts guarding the castle and preparing himself not only for any invaders and war, but also for the tournament. Because he had heard too many of his fellow guards say that they had told your mother that if they won, they would give her the purse for courtship and 'wondered what glories her “exotic cunny” had in store'. Which only seemed to spark his own possessiveness, and his own protective instincts. And while he did not say anything to them, if anything, it drove him to find their weaknesses for when they would face off, he would no doubt be the victor so that there was no way for them to use the purse, whatever it would be, as an enticement. Which- Luna herself helped him to see and take note of, as well as assure and reassure him that their own arrogance and loud prideful mouths were making promises that they would never be able to keep. And that after the tournament, she would help him prove their words false, hollow and empty. And while he didn’t need to say anything, his actions spoke more than any number of words ever could.

Because while he was older, he was still bigger, stronger, faster, more capable and the better fighter from all his decades of experience and had his own ability honed to perfection.

Plus, it was clear to his entire family- that you and Selene were now practically part of Broman’s larger, extended family. And they had welcomed you and your mother into the family so readily, so happily and warmly. And soon, Broman’s nieces and nephews treated you like you were always his daughter, always their cousin, always their family.

Every day that you had school, he would wake up extra early to come to your house, have breakfast with you and your mother and then walk you to and from school. Which you thoroughly enjoyed, using the time to draw closer as father and daughter and tell him what else he could do to help you and your mother and the house. Because your mother didn't know the words to use yet. Or didn't know what or how to ask. As he could use his own observations to ask about other things. You were thrilled he was so observant and ready and willing and able to help. And happy to confirm his thoughts and intuition about what to do and how to do it.

And on the weekends, he would spend working on your mother's house or courtyards, usually doing more in one day of work with your mom and you than what the two of you could do through half the week. You were just happy to see them work together so well and work side by side like true equals and partners. He led by example and was so patient and kind in explaining what he was doing and why he wanted to do it a certain way and your mother was happy to submit to such leadership. She had always felt humiliated to submit to the man who sired you before. Because he was so stupid, so short sighted, so self obsessed and shallow.

But with Broman? He was so thoughtful, so selfless, so farsighted, wise, intelligent, kind, sympathetic, empathetic, and cared so deeply, cared about her, cared about you, cared about her reputation and cared about what she thought of him and cared about what she thought about anything and everything else under the sun and moon. She was so happy and proud that he was so intelligent, caring and nurturing. Happy and content to follow such- wise and loving direction. And he dignified her and actually listened to her ideas, and addressed any concerns she had and was happy to find equitable solutions they would both be happy with. It was clear and obvious he respected her and made sure she knew she was the head of her own house. And that she sat at the head of her own table. That he felt he ate better from, on the longer, wider side of, across from you, to make sure you ate your fill. But while this felt more like the family meals you always wanted there was always an invisible barrier. A line, Broman would not cross. No matter how many times you asked. Because the moment the sun would set, he would always excuse that he should get going. Never staying too late. Never staying for the night, to once again, protect your mother’s reputation as a good, honest, honorable woman. Which, was a protection- in it’s own way. And something that, while your mother respected and appreciated, she found, a sense of rejection in it as well. That perhaps, she wasn’t beautiful enough, wasn’t young enough, wasn’t attractive enough. Things she never said, but couldn’t help but feel, and were little seeds of doubt, that kept creeping into her during the day, during the week, when you were in school and when he was at the castle guard, while she worked and all these others would come to do business with her. She felt so foolish for thinking such things, especially when he was there. And he would tell her she was pretty and beautiful. But, she wondered if he was just saying that to be nice. Or just saying such things because he “should”, but otherwise, seeming unaffected by her beauty, and didn’t seem to fight his own attraction to her, as much as she was fighting hers to him, frustrated that she was more affected by him than the other way around. She found she could wear as much or as little as she cared and he would never seem tempted to do anything about it. It was clear he worked hard, as did she. And all she wanted was to find rest with him, as much as she found work with him as well.

Because on Temple Days he would take you and your mother with him to the service and would be content to sit towards the back since your mother felt a quiet unease inside the temple. And when Broman asked why, she claimed that she just "did" and couldn't explain it and wouldn't explain it either. And Broman did her the courtesy and respect and dignity of not pushing the issue and instead found a compromise of sitting towards the back as more of an observer than actually participating. Which, your mother was very grateful that he would even do that much and be willing to compromise so much. And she had expected him to "lay down the law" of- if they were going to be married, she would be expected to worship Dhanos beside him, the same way her first husband had demanded of her before, but to a different god.

But Broman assured and reassured her that that was not the case. She was free to do as she wished and pleased. And while she in theory- had an obligation because of the call to alms, that soon most would forget all about it. And that if she felt truly uncomfortable there, she and you didn't need to attend at all.

But Luna actually advised you and your mother against such an action, because in order for you and your mother both to be accepted here, just you being seen there as observers, was enough to satisfy any and all who saw you and would ensure social stability and financial success in the long run. And thankfully, your mother listened to such advice. So the compromise to go and observe was accepted and left as it was.

Although, it was, upon returning from your weekends in the woods- when the priests heard of your "talent" in singing from the teachers and others on the choir in school, and they approached you to join the choir, Broman surprised both you and your mother by saying that you still needed time to learn the language and become fluent before you ever attempted such a thing. And he added that you were still recovering from the abuse of your first father, and it was very hard for you to sing and not cry which would no doubt disrupt the service and would bring undue attention to you. Which got them to agree and back off. Which pleased your mother very well and was a great relief to you as well, because it was Luna that made music a joy again, and you did not want to lend your voice to anything that didn’t bring you joy, or to any other god or goddess than to Luna herself, which she was happy and content to accept.

When Broman wasn’t working at the Castle, he was helping your mother with the house and its repairs, upkeep and improvements. He bought more vats for dyes and troughs and expanded her work courtyard and even put a whole field’s worth of lines up so she could hang either her own clothes or her own dying orders up. He helped put in a wash basin that could wash dozens of yards of fabric in at a time and a special hearth- with an extra large cauldron that would hold water- straight from the water pump- right into the cauldron, have it boil in the hearth under it, and then would be able to pour said hot water into any other from a special frame that would ease into the hearth and then roll on special wheels to any other vat in the courtyard and especially the wash basin. He dug wells and even got special stones from the stone cutters to dig into the yard to put them in the ground so that when you would dump the vats, they would drain out of the courtyard easily and into the street outside and into the drains under the roads but would not wash out into your garden and poison the ground or contaminate the food growing from the ground from the food garden, nor poison the flowers that were growing in the flower garden either, but would catch the waterways in the streets that would carry such dirty water out of the city.

He also bought her a pair of cows, friends, Maybel and Jenny, so you and your mother could have a regular supply of milk, cream, yogurt and butter and cheese since the house already had a small barn with it which the old tenant kept the animals at before the slaughter. He bought her chickens too so she could have eggs as she would need them, and he got you a kitten that would grow to be a good mouser and a puppy to protect you both when he physically wasn’t there to do so himself. You could never afford a pet back home. But now, to have two house pets felt like a menagerie.

Broman, thanks to other help from his family, also built up the barn, and the all of garden walls. And he even added onto the flower garden, making those walls even higher to keep a private, beautiful space, for just you and your mother and any who you would invite in- to enjoy, just for the flowers, that soon began to grow into very pretty vines and bushes, the gardenia’s especially, being extra fragrant, with jasmine, roses, honeysuckle, different kinds of lilac, and other super fragrant flowers, both for your enjoyment, as well as supply scents for perfume and soaps. For you, it was like a piece of Luna’s temple in Masar Alquimar. The most prized bloom- being moonflower blooms, that would bloom at night, their scent, being practically intoxicating, but also, healing any hurt you or your mother or Broman had.

And slowly and surely over these three months, your mother got better at learning his Flannish, as he learned more and more Alqua, often using your trek to and from school to learn one on one from you, which made you so happy to have a father who wanted to learn your language and didn’t look down on it or hate it. But if anything he was eager to learn and eager to be proficient and thought it was very pretty and elegant and encouraged you to embrace it as your mother tongue. Even though, his Flannish, was your ‘father tongue’.

Your mother used the time before bed, when Broman had left, to learn more Flannish from you- one on one, as you were working on a translation for them to use to communicate more without having you be their sole translator, which in turn, also helped your mother do business while you were in school. The other non-human families actually paid you to make similar translations for them and their native languages into Hestra’s Flannish, since you were clearly gifted for it.

And in those three months, every full moon, Broman would take the three of you out to those grounds, and had learned he could actually sleep, knowing that the three of you would be safe and sound and content to simply have you burn a stick of incense for him to Luna while Selene got more comfortable with his presence was slowly learning to trust and count on him more and more, with more than just her house, or you, but, with her heart, and her feelings, and her mind.

And when you would spiritually visit Luna’s temple, you got to see more and more of Drimus, and learned he had quite a few brothers and sisters, some of them older than you and younger than you too. But while he told you about them, you never did get to meet any of them. And you could only find him near the gardenia maze, which he seemed eager and ready to go through at least twice with you before going through the other mazes. He, surprisingly, was much better at all the others, only because they were square and not curved. You both seemed to like that you both could simply enjoy each other’s company and talk about everything under the moon as he was happy that your Papa was getting closer to your mom and that they would hopefully be getting into a full blown romantic relationship, like the kind his parents enjoyed, besides their “spiritual one”, which you thought his phrasing was peculiar, but he seemed hesitant and reluctant to talk about it, just like you didn’t want to talk about the man who sired you. As you were both content to simply leave those subjects alone.

And then it came time for the tournament, and your mother was ready and eager to ingress the relationship with Broman because his kisses could be sweet and affectionate and instantly morph into more canal, needy and intimate in the next moment and she wanted to be intimate with him. But she had a hard time asking for it.

And because of the rules of courtship, which Broman was wanting to stick to- to do so- as honorably as he could, in the eyes of everyone else, he wouldn't pursue more either, no matter how much his body begged and pleaded for it. Because before now, he would hug, hold, kiss and even caress her but nothing beyond that and she wanted so much more than that, she wanted all that he could and would give her physically.

But it seemed he was waiting for something, and she was at a loss as to what that would be. She had told him that she didn’t need that fancy of a wedding ring or even a big wedding. She was happy and content with a simple ceremony with only his family and closest friends.

But at the same time, her first order for Lord and Lady Bathes had just finished, the month before and she had presented it to them, in their court. And they had loved it, and been exceedingly pleased with it. And they gave her the seal of the best dyer in Hestra because she was able to give it a depth of color that never bled when it was washed because she had fixed the color so strongly and it did not matter what they used to wash it or tried to stain it, it would not stain and it would wash beautifully. They had even poured bleach and ammonia on it, and it would not budge at all, something that no other could even begin to brag or boast of.

And in the last month alone, her business boomed. She had a waiting list of orders, and using every single vat, in every color there was and was, by the end of the month- booked out for the rest of the year. She made a year’s worth of wages in only a month, from getting a third of the payment just to get on the schedule and “reserve” her dying ingredients for that order. She would be getting a second third when she would get the fabric and start the dyeing and get the last third- when they would pick it up from her. And would be making at least- three times as much here in Hestra than she had ever done before. And when she had tried to pay back anyone’s kindness, they all refused, Broman- most of all.

And with such funds, she could afford to have anything she wanted in any market and soon, for the first time in her life- she had decorated her house the way she always wanted to. Because Broman had already made it into a dream of a house. She was able to plaster and white wash the walls and then paint the walls in the most beautiful pictures and use a whole wall to teach you not just the language of Alqua, but the culture too, so that you read and wrote in Alqua better than you did Flannish. She used her walls to write down the Scrolls of Serenity, so that you could write it down yourself and then learn to translate it into Flannish so Broman could read it and understand it some day. Broman had already seen to it that her foodstuffs and food storehouses were always full, always practically bursting with food. And that she had not just ample supplies of ingredients but a vast variety of them too. Yet, with over a decade of always having poverty imposed onto her, she still watched her funds just as closely as ever and used little hiding places in the stones themselves to hide her extra riches into- ‘for a rainy day’ she would say. She could afford to buy what she needed and what she wanted. Which, she did indulge herself until she felt she lacked nothing physically.

And Broman, bless his heart, never said anything about the scent, or smell, or in some cases, the stench of the work. Instead he only ever complimented the results of the work, or the complimented the scent of the soaps, and the scent of the flowers and the smell of her delicious food. He always claimed that the castle smelled ten times worse than even her stinkiest dyes and had no issues with getting on his hands and knees and scrubbing and cleaning things right beside her, always wanting to help, any way he could.

She soon had quite the side business of selling soaps of all kinds once they had aged, nearly all of Hestra coming and ordering the scent of the soaps, before she could even make cakes or bars of it and also had orders for the future for soaps, taking the same method of payment. She even had one for acne, that the pubescents all came to buy, the young lord of the castle coming, all the way, to have her examine his face, to practically prescribe the soaps he should use to wash his own face so that it would clear up from the acne so he could compete in the tournament, and do so with his helmet off, without wanting to do so- with his helmet on- to hide his pimply face. She even made a special face cream for him and the other smooth skinned people as well, that he used religiously, because there was supposed to be several young, eligible ladies coming to the tournament, from other castles to see him as potential suitor that he wanted and needed to make a good impression with, even from the distance of the tournament grounds where they would be sitting in the stands with the other nobility as your mother was just relieved she did not need to fight off his advances as well and even offered that she would give him her white roses the morning of the tournament- for him to give out to any other young lady who he wanted to impress. And he nearly burst into tears in gratitude for the help.

Selene even started a perfume business, that was even more lucrative than the dying business and the soap business combined. With everyone coming to smell the flowers in her garden, then to request what scents she wanted in her perfume from those while the men would come to ask for colognes to help them smell better too.

She had more than enough to keep her busy, but not ever work to the point of exhaustion, but enough to keep her happy, productive and very prosperous. And to the point that she too could give alms to the poor at the temple.

And in those three months, Broman had worked out a way to get his cart to that clearing so that she could take the huge, empty wine jars- just for various kinds of oils into Luna’s temple complex with her, pay for them to be refilled in Masar Alquimar and then he could load them back up into the cart- to cart them back to her house to make perfumes and soaps with the various oils and nut butters since she had plenty of lye water from the ashes from her own hearth and scents to flowers growing in her own garden when she wasn’t buying said fragrance, perfume, and essential oils in Masar Alquimar and soon her flower garden was just as big as her working courtyard. And could afford to keep actual flowers in her working courtyard to help with the smell and a big mechanical fan to keep the air fresh in there too. She had even bought a special table- just to be outside in the flower courtyard and a large canopy to go over it so that- when the weather was fair- you could have meals outside, now that the weather was turning from spring into summer. Especially dinner. And thanks to special plants and candles burning- mosquitoes never bothered anyone near the house either.

And with the next full moon coming after the week of the tournament- your mother was eager to have Broman join her with Luna in her temple so that the three of you could worship together as a family, and hopefully start to induct Broman into the “finer” points of worshiping Luna. Specifically, where the female orgasms was considered sacred, and were a blessing, both for the woman, her life, her home, her family. And was the best way to get pregnant. Because now that she had Broman in her life, she was aching to have children again, have Broman’s children specifically, which Luna had already told and reassured her, she would grant, by opening up Selene’s womb, after she had closed it for that waste of flesh she had first married- that she would open it for Broman’s seed- when Broman would lie with her- when he was ready to that is. And your mother was getting anxious, wondering when and if that would ever happen with his courtship.

In the meantime, she was also eager to try to woo him through food, each dinner he had at her house. He always claimed it was the best food he had ever had. And she was hoping that the food was helping to lay the path to his heart too as when he did stay for dinner, they learned more and more of the nuances of both Alqua and Flannish and were able to talk to each other more and more, offering gentle corrections to pronunciation as they began to almost blend the two languages.

It was the day before the tournament and everyone was getting ready for it and your mother wanted to attend the tournament- already pregnant with Broman’s child. But he- so far, had gently refused it, since it would not be “honorable” for her to be pregnant before he married her “properly”. And your mother was anxious to do whatever it took to get that to happen as soon as possible. She would be asking him to marry her tonight, and if she had her way, he would, that very night and that starting this night and every night after, there would be no more of him leaving for the night, but him staying, the whole night, every night and every day from then on.

Your mother went all out for this evening’s meal. She had found the best mushrooms while foraging. She bought the best meats in the market and other ingredients she could get her hands on. She spent more on this one meal than she usually spent in a week of food for her and you. She even bought new dishes! And wine! She bought an entire wine jar of the best wine- and had it delivered to her house that afternoon. She practically slaved over the food and cleaned the house top to bottom so that it practically gleamed and glowed. She had made sure all the lids to the vats of dyes were secured so the scents would not waft into the house and ran the fan until the only thing she could smell were the flowers and her cooking in and around the whole house.

She picked the best of her flowers and put them into vases, including those white roses that she was planning on giving to the Young Lord. And she bought many more still- just to be bouquets in the house and on her tables to help it smell better and look better and prettier. She even bought vases! Just for the flowers! And special candles! And candle holders! She even made special table covers and tablecloths and napkins! And real silverware! That all matched! She felt like she was making her home practically into a palace with all of this luxury. Even though, her past experience, she knew what real luxury looked and felt like. But before, she felt it was due to where she was, and what she was. But now? It was her luxury she earned through her hard work. Which meant more to her than any of the wealth she was around as a priestess before.

When she had finished with all of that, she bathed again, and she got dressed in one of her sexiest dresses she made for herself. And made plans for you to sleep over at a friend’s house for the night, who lived across the street, so that it would just be the three of you for dinner, but that Broman would stay over and spend the night so they could initiate the intimacy of their relationship, and they would be able to fill their mutual needs for intimacy from each other.

She could only hope that he’d be able to fill that need in her life, now that he had filled every other need she had in all other areas of her life. Because even if he was just decent, she would be happy. He didn’t need to wow her, or knock the stars into her eyes, or make it so that she couldn’t walk straight, if he could just last long enough to give her- her due pleasure, she’d be content. Because the more she looked at him and came to admire him, the more handsome he grew in her eyes, to the point that no other man in all of Hestra or far beyond, practically the whole wide world- could compare in her mind and heart.

And thanks to a conversation she had with Odette who had come that morning to buy perfume- she now knew the right words to use to ask Broman to have sex with her and that he would understand and hopefully do the one thing she would ask of him, since he volunteered to do all other things, without her asking for any of it. Because he saw needs and simply filled them, no asking needed, except for this. As she was hoping that this was what had kept him from having sex with her before, because she never asked to give consent.

When Broman picked you up from school, he too was very excited. Because for the last year, he had been waiting on his commissioned new set of armor from his favorite blacksmith and armorer and the best chain mail- and for the last three and a half months, he had commissioned a jeweler for a set of jewelry and even picked up the ring he commissioned for Selene just that afternoon. Finally, after all this time, he finally got the perfect wedding ring for Selene. It was near torture to not immediately go to her and propose while you were in school, because he was sure, if he did, he would be too tempted not to fuck Selene on any and every surface in the house. And would probably break as much furniture as he had brought into the house himself, while also, driving away any business she might garner during the day. It practically glittered and gleamed just as much as his new armor did. It was beautiful and it was finally a ring- worthy of the wonder that Selene was.

He paid extra for his set of armor to have a special symbol in silver, melted to the chest of steel. The same symbol that he had seen in his dreams from Luna. That of the full sun next to the crescent moon. Because he got the same things on a necklace for himself, as well as a set of necklaces for you and Selene. So that the three of you would match and it was clear you were a family.

He carried the necklaces in his hand in a special velvet sack. With the same symbol of the full sun on one side, with the crescent moon beside it. But when you flipped the sun around, suddenly the crescent moon soon became a full moon because the rest of the moon was on the other side in silver from behind the full sun in gold. He had a braid of two silver strands and one of gold for the chains that matched the ring for Selene. Luna herself gave him a stone for such a ring that the jeweler offered the ring for free if Broman could get him another stone like it. And Luna had given Broman a second stone just for that purpose when she had given him the first. But with all the gold and silver for the necklaces, he still felt like he paid a fair price for all them. Many warriors were coming into the jeweler to get their various golden lucky charms. And while he too, had some, he felt he didn’t need any. He had all the luck he would ever want or need, from you, Selene and Luna. He had one for you and one for your mother. So that to all of Hestra, it would be a blend of both Dhanos and Luna, showing their duality. And Luna herself loved and appreciated the design of it.

“You got new armor Papah!” You smiled when school was done and he wore it to pick you up.

“I did. It is extra thick and has a new suit of padding to help me wear it too so I’ll be extra safe from now on.” He smiled, happy that you liked it.

“It’s perfect.” You beamed happily. Happy that he was now perfectly safe. And when you saw the symbol you started crying happy tears because he had the moon, even it’s crescent on it. So it would show all of Hestra that he too would be worshiping both Dhanos and Luna with you and your mother as you traced it with your finger tip.

Luna told you that because of this, she gave him her blessing and protection, because he had earned your trust and confidence, as well as your mother's and would keep it until he would naturally die. And that she would ensure he would never fail her in his many battles to protect you both. And while it wasn’t the most comfortable thing to hug him while he was wearing it, you knew such things were going to protect him for the rest of his life. And would keep him alive no matter what battle or war he fought in.

And this was especially important because for the last 3 months solid, many knights and other contestants for the tournament had expressed an interest that if they won the championship, they would give your mother the purse as part of their courtship. And even though your mother tried to refuse their offers, many were adamant to not take a ‘no’ for an answer. But Luna gifted her with the foresight, that even if she had agreed, they would not be winning the tournament, and that the tournament would be won by someone else. But even Luna would not tell her who that man was, because she didn’t want or care to know as Selene had instead insisted that if they were not there to do business, then they had no reason to be at her house and needed to leave so that others who did have business with her- could come and do such business with her and sent them away before taking in the next person who came to do business with her as many of them- instead- had no choice but to leave something, usually their tunics they were already wearing- with her- to dye as they were then charged twice what Selene would usually charge, just for their attitude.

Selene- actually put a ‘closed’ sign out- just to give her the day to prepare, for this evening. But still, she was still antsy and anxious about it though because all of these other knights and fighters and warriors, could do nothing but drag Broman and his ability down with their words. Saying he was too old, too slow, and that she was better off agreeing to court them sooner than the tournament, because if he fought in this one, he was not going to survive it. His prime had already passed and he was doomed to fail, doomed to get wounded, even fatally so. And while your mother did not like this. She instead insisted that ‘she didn’t want or need any champion of the tournament, because it was only once a year, whereas any man who would be the head of her house needed to be the champion of her heart and affections and that none of them had yet to even begin to do any of that’. But all that did was simply put her in a stalemate with them until the tournament. Which was why she wanted and needed Broman to finish the courtship before the tournament, so that before it would even start, she would already be taken by him and thus not available to any other and not in danger of losing him to overeager and overzealous competitors who were simply trying to woo- in their opinion, the fairest beauty in Hestra, or so they claimed. So she was really hoping Broman would say yes to initiating the sexual aspect of their relationship because every instinct in her told it was time. Tonight, it had to be tonight.

She paced in the kitchen, checking and rechecking each dish, to make sure it was cooking just right. And she kept coiling her curls around her fingers, making sure each one was perfect. She was wearing her best jewelry and she even had gotten special cosmetics to make herself look as beautiful, sexy and desirable as possible. She had made and was wearing her most exotic and alluring and heady perfume too, hoping to court every sense that Broman had. And as eager as she was, she was fearful he was still going to turn her down. And refuse her or reject her, that maybe he wasn’t quite ready, but even she could see his desire in his eyes and she felt it in his touch and could taste it in her kisses. They just needed to be left alone and given the time and opportunity to do more than what they had been doing.

“Mama! Mama! Look! Look what Papah got!” You told her as you bolted from Broman the moment he opened the door to show her the necklace he had gotten you and put around your neck.

“That’s perfect.” Your mother smiled before she looked up to see Broman standing there in the door frame with a proud smile. And then she noticed that he was also standing there in a full set of new armor and her face fell as her stomach dropped.

“What’s wrong?” Broman asked as he watched her facial expression change as she took him in, not thinking that she would frown at the sight of him in new armor as he came inside and shut the door but didn’t take another step when she quickly moved you and her backwards, to keep the same amount of space between them as suddenly, his smile fell with hers. But he was at a loss as to why.

“Why are you wearing armor? Is a war coming? Is there an army coming here?” Your mother asked before she closed her eyes and quickly asked Luna but Luna showed her that- that was not the case before she opened her eyes and just looked at his armor and instantly knew- he was going to be fighting in the tournament, he was going to be a contender, he was most likely going to get hurt and possibly lose his life. And all those threats of him becoming fatally wounded came rushing back and stabbing her heart all over from all those other bastards.

“I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t be in the tournament?” Your mother asked him as she looked at the armor as if he was covered in poison ivy and already drenched in his own blood and practically bleeding all over the floor. She had your shoulders in her hands as she subconsciously pulled you to her and then moved you to stand behind her and took a few steps backward and when she looked up into his eyes, the look she gave him, was as if he had walked into the house, with another whore already in his arms and was already balls deep into her and was ready to fuck a whore right onto her own dining room table, like the man who sired you did in the past.

“No, we agreed I wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks with my life. This is how I do that. I got new armor. It’s thicker than my old armor, much stronger and has new padding so it’s comfortable and it’s much easier to move in. Even if an army were to come tonight, I could defend you and Stasi with ease, this is how I can do that the best way I can, and do so as safely as can.” Broman calmly recalled and gently contested.

But all your mother could do was to look at the armor and just shake her head as tears came to her eyes and ran like rivers down her cheeks as she just shook her head and damned herself, that she had yet again, fallen for a man who loved violence and the praise of the crowds and masses more than anything else, and so much more than her. Always, more than her.

“Stasi! Anastaschia! Please! Please tell me what I did wrong!” Broman finally called out.

“Thank you for escorting Stasi home. But from now on, you should no longer do so. She is my daughter, and I alone should be responsible for her. I reject you and your courtship. Please leave.” She insisted as she came forward and opened the door and began to push him out of the house.

“But…! Selene! Stop, no, let’s talk about this. Please!” Broman asked as he tried to stay, he tried to plant himself like a tree- but she surprised him with her strength as she wouldn’t even look at him, she had her hand on his chest and the other on the door and with one shove, she called on her inner spiritual strength and pushed him with such force, it was as if a draft horse had kicked him squarely into the chest and he landed on his ass and back into the street before she shut and locked the door and then quickly went around the house and shut and locked all the other doors and shut the windows up as she wracked sob after sob as she ignored Broman’s efforts to get up and start knocking and banging on the doors before she went to all the other doors of the gardens and barns and shut and locked all of those up too so that he could not get in from any side as you stood there in shock- frozen in place, not understanding at all what just happened or what was happening and just watched on helplessly as your mother locked up the house and kept crying as she did so and did not stop until the entire house was locked up and the only light was coming from the fire in the hearth. You just watched helplessly as she then went upstairs and took off her jewelry and her dress and washed all the perfume and makeup off and tied her hair up the same way she usually did.

“Don’t you dare answer him Stasi! I already gave him an answer.” Your mother hollered in Alqua from the second floor.

“But I don’t even know what’s wrong! How can I answer him?” You called back to her as you were torn about going up to where your mother was to where Broman was now back at the door.

“That man loves violence and the praise and glory from the crowds and masses more than he ever has or ever could love us!” Your mother challenged.

“No! Selene! That’s not it at all!” Broman called back in Alqua too as he moved to where he could be closer to where the loft was.

“No he doesn’t! Didn’t you see it? Didn’t you see this?” You asked at the same time as you went upstairs to your mother and took off the necklace and found your mother sitting on the bed and sobbing into her hands with her shawl wrapped around her shoulders.

“Look Mama! It’s only to show Hestra that he’s with us. That he is choosing us over them. He has already heard all the others try to court you with the purse of the tournament and he has never even hinted at such a thing. All he wants is to keep them from succeeding. He’s not out to win the tournament, only to ensure that they don’t win so that they can not come back and demand from you what is not rightfully theirs. This morning, you told me that what they want, is what you are ready and willing to give to Papah, because he’s already earned it right? He is not chasing glory. He is just trying to keep us safe. That’s why he got new armor and that’s why he got this on the armor. So that Luna can continue to use him to protect us. That’s all it is Mama. He is not like the man who sired me. Not at all or even a little.” You insisted as you pressed the pedant into her hands and had it flipped until it showed the entire moon as you knelt at her feet, hoping she would listen to you.

“He got another one for you and one for himself too. And Luna has already told me that she approves.” You insisted.

“Please, please don’t shut him out now Mama. Please, just let him explain it. Let him speak for himself and if I’m wrong, that’s fine. I’m ok with being wrong. But please do not send him away like this. Otherwise he will lose his own heart and lose his own confidence and then he really will get hurt because he won’t see the point in fighting at all. He is not hungry for violence, he is hungry for our care and safety. That is all Mama. He is already doing what he is meant to do- be a defender. Not an offender, but a defender. That’s all. And he needs to defend both himself and us from any challengers. He only needs his skills and his tools and his protection, in the form of his armor to do that. That’s all. You know he is not otherwise a violent person. You know that he would never harm us. But he will harm others to keep us safe from any harm they may either intentionally or unintentionally mean us. That’s all Mama. Please. Please, just, open a window, or just open the door to one of the courtyards. You don’t even need to let him into the house, but don’t have this in the street where all of Hestra could hear and use this against you and against him. Please. Please Mama! Please!” You begged and pleaded as your own tears ran like rivers down your cheeks as your mother didn’t have the heart to even look at you.

“Luna has already heard the taunts and the hurtful words of the others, and what they taunt is what will befall them and it can either be Papah or any other who gives them such blows for their arrogance and greed. But Papah has neither. You said that that is what you love about Papah, is because he is not arrogant, or greedy. But is humble, and giving. That is all he is doing- he is giving us protection, he is giving us an answer to all who taunt us. Please- just listen to him explain things.” You pleaded to her as she looked up and could see Luna’s power coursing through you, through the glow of your eyes while also hearing Luna in her own head, in her own ears as Luna was trying to battle Selene’s own fears in her mind and heart, where the true battle was waging.

“Fine, I’ll let him into the courtyard, but you must stay in the flower garden, I don’t want you part of this, it’s between him and me.” She finally caved.

“Ok.” You nodded as you hugged her tightly and kissed all over her face.

“Please, just listen, that’s all you have to do, is just listen.” You insisted before you got changed yourself and went to the door to tell Broman to meet at the door to the dying courtyard as your mother walked down and got into that courtyard and took all the lids to the dying vats off so that the whole courtyard filled with the stench as she turned off the fan too- because if he was going to talk, every breath was going to be as pained and hard for him as it currently was for her.

“Selene? Seleneeschia?” Broman asked as he knocked on that door before she begrudgingly unlocked and unbolted it but then quickly walked back to the door that led to the house and stood with her arms folded tightly in front of her, over her bosom and glared at him as he came in with her bloodshot eyes, only to see, he had already began the process of taking the armor off and had already taken most of it off. And he didn’t even bring the pieces into the courtyard, he left them all leaning against the courtyard wall.

“Please tell me what I did wrong, please, you can’t end things like this. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please, tell me how to fix this.” He begged as his eyes were already crying rivers of tears down his own cheeks as his eyes were just as red as his hair.

“I see your intent. You intend to fight. You intend to have everyone love you in the tournament. Thinking that Luna is just some lucky charm on you. You love the violence of the tournament, and you love everyone else’s love for you that is there for only a day and forgotten tomorrow. You love being the champion just like all the others. Stasi and I are never going to be enough. How can we measure up to all of Hestra?!” Selene tried to say in his Flannish as she angrily used the shall to wipe away her tears as each word was like a stab to the heart and gut as he damned himself for not telling her about the armor. Or telling her more about how and why he got it. For not having her come with him to approve of it at the armorer and kicked himself for not seeing how this could have gone bad. He had a vision and a fantasy for how this was going to go and he hadn’t listened to his own sense and his own fear that she would have this kind of reaction because of her own past, and not his- that she had no idea or understanding of. She was speaking his Flannish. He needed to speak in the language of her heart. He needed to talk to her in her Alqua. Sure he would butcher the words and language but surely, it would show his true intentions as he had spent this whole time, listening and praying for Luna to help him. Help his dumb, ineloquent mouth to say the right thing to communicate clearly and reveal his true thoughts and feelings to her.

“No. Not at all. I promised- before you come- to fight in tournament. And then you come and..I.. too late for I to,..pull out…from… tournament. But I swear, this will be my last tournament. I do not love crowd more than you. I do not love violence or fighting in tournament more than you. I love you and I love Stasi more than anyone else and everything else and so much more than this city. If you want to go to Masar Alquimar- we will go- day after tomorrow. I made promise, I keep all promise.” He struggled to say in Alqua, but the more he tried and the harder he tried, the easier it was for him to do as Luna helped him say the right words in the right way as she used his own visual thoughts to help him find the right words to use that got much easier to do, the more he did it.

“I only got this new armor to protect me from now on. That’s all. And I got Luna’s moon on it to show I worship her with you. That’s all. It’s not a lucky charm. It’s only to identify me with you. That’s all.” Broman tried to explain as the stench was burning his eyes as much as his tears were, as each breath was as painful as if he really had been kicked in the chest by both of his draft horses. But he had to fight through all of it. Because he knew, she was throwing everything she could at him- metaphorically speaking- and he had to wade through as much of it as he could. He could not show how much the smell was affecting him. He insisted to himself that he had fought through worse for less before, he would fight through this for her and for you. He could rise above this. He had to call on Luna to help him through this as he finished taking off the last of the chain mail and opened the door to put the last of it out of the courtyard before he took off all the padding too as a way of disarming himself.

“I just got this to keep myself safe. Because if I’m safe, I can care for you- as close or as far away from you as you want me to be.” He repeated in Alqua.

“You and Stasi are enough. You always were. I do not lust after any other- than you. I care for no other child more than I do Stasi. Your love, your faith, your trust, that’s all I need. I don’t need any other love from anyone else but you and her as her father as she is my daughter. Please, just let me show that.” He begged as he peeled it off and put it aside before he just knelt in front of the door on the other side, not wanting to get any closer to her, should she flee into the house and leave.

“Please, Selene, please, I love you more than anyone, more than anything. All I want is for you and Stasi to be safe, and be cared for, whether I give that care or not.” Broman confessed in his best Alqua he could as you were trying to climb the wall from the garden to see them as his confession made your heart swell and practically burst in your chest with happiness. But you needed to stay out of this. But all you could do was plead with Luna to let your mother hear and listen and really take it as the gospel truth it was.

“Please Luna, just let Mama listen. Please let her really listen to him and his truths and not her own deceiving thoughts.” You prayed.

“Why did you take so long to court me?” Selene finally asked as she couldn’t help but start to put lids back on the vats to keep the smell down as Luna blew fresh breezes to blow out the scents from the courtyard and keep everyone outside at such a distance that none dared stay close to listen in.

“Because my work wasn’t done. I wanted all of it done so you wouldn’t feel that I was only doing it because I wanted to court you. I wanted you to know that even if you rejected me, that it would still be done regardless and not leave you vulnerable or leave you without. That’s all. I’m sorry it took me as long as it did. I should have worked harder and faster.” He answered.

“I know that the admiration of the masses only lasts a day and is forgotten the next. I do not want that. I only want to keep you safe. And I only want to keep others who only see you as a prize to be won- away from you. Because you are so much more than that. More than I have ever known or can comprehend. You are more special and more precious than any other thing I have ever known. And while that waste of flesh who abused you is dead. I never want you to be hurt by any other, especially myself and I’m so sorry I hurt you with this misunderstanding. I did not mean it, and this hurts worse than being stabbed or being…” He began to list off as more and more tears began to flood his cheeks before she surprised him by wrapping her arms around him only for him to bury his face into her belly and wrap his arms around her and hug her and hold her.

“I’m so sorry.” He murmured into her belly in Alqua.

“Me too. I’m sorry too. I…jumped to wrong…ending.” Selene offered in Flannish as she felt so stupid and foolish for jumping to the wrong conclusion and if anything could prove the genuine nature of his feelings, this was it.

“I don’t intend to win favor with the masses. I only intend to win yours. Not for the tournament, but every single other day. Winning you over and over every day.” He offered, not wanting to speak in any other language than Alqua. He had gotten this far, he could go as far and as long as she needed him to. He would never speak Flannish again if it meant he could stay with her.

“But you’ve had it for- a very long time. Why make me wait?” She asked in Flannish.

“Because I wasn’t done trying to woo you?” He confessed as he couldn’t help but let a huff of a laugh leave him.

“I was already wooed by you the first day we came here. Why make me wait for sex with you? To… husband you?” She asked, kicking herself and her barely understood to grasp of his language as he looked up and smiled through his own tears.

“Because I’m an idiot. I’m sorry.” He apologized as she finally caved and spoke Alqua back to him.

“You’re not an idiot. You’re a very good man. Better than…” Selene tried to explain.

“Not better than you deserve. The gods themselves are not good enough for you.” He cut her off before she sank to her own knees to kneel with him.

“I don’t want them. I only want you. You already won my heart, you already won my soul. Why wait to take what’s already- was always yours and no one else’s?” She asked before he closed the distance and kissed her for all he was worth.

“I’m sorry to make you wait. No more waiting. You don’t have to wait on me for anything. I’m yours. I’m all yours, only yours.” Broman professed between heated and impassioned kisses as you finally found your purchase at the top of the wall and smiled and blew out a breath of relief that they finally were coming together, and kissing, kneeling together in the courtyard, since it was clear that he had done all he could to make himself as small as he could and humble himself in front of her. That only she could have had the power to humble anyone to such a low state. You hurriedly shimmied down the wall and went out and ran around the back and used your leather apron to put under the piles of chainmail and used your leather apron to pull it around to the other garden so that no one else would be tempted to take it. It took you several trips, but Luna seemed to help you get it all, and keep it safe for Broman, even seemingly abandoned in the street. You had to drag his armor into the house, using a drag cloth to get it all into the other courtyard so it wouldn’t get stolen out of the street.

Then you went back inside to open up the windows and get more air in before you went upstairs and got the bed ready for them to both sleep in it- tonight. Because you didn’t want Broman to spend another night in that castle, only ever in the bed with your mother.

You heard your mother and Broman both make pleasured noises and could only smile and giggle as you made sure dinner was kept warm in it’s various dishes before you moved to the flower garden and smiled happily to hear your parents make each other happy as a deep sense of relief washed over you. When the noises got louder, you slipped from the house, to the barn to give them more “privacy” with your kitten and your puppy as you checked up on “The Ladies” of the barn, the two cows and the smaller flock of chickens with their chicks, pecking through the small barnyard.

Meanwhile, Broman was ever so happy to grab that blessed padding and use it as a makeshift bed roll to show his love by making love to Selene who was eager and relieved to finally feel it. To finally be touched with love and care and tenderness, yet desperation and hunger, want and desire all at once.

Selene felt that that phallus did not do him justice. He had been blessed to be just as big and impressive in his manhood as he was in the rest of his body. She had sworn only minotaurs, goblins and orcs were blessed with such thick and girthy cocks. But here he was, filling her better than any ever had, but never so big that it was painful, far from. The only thing she was feeling- was pleasure and love. In every fiber of her being. He was pouring all of himself into her without causing her even the slightest discomfort. He was kissing her so deeply, yet so passionately that it was the single most beautiful expression of romantic love she had ever felt before and she was just trying to answer back in kind.

She shouldn’t have stopped in her initial fleeing, she should have kept going and should have just kept going until she came here and came to him in the first place. And know that such a wonderful man would have been there and been eager and ready and willing to love her and never cause her harm. And really be a good husband to her, even if he wasn’t the most handsome of face, he was the most handsome of heart and soul. And with every kiss, every touch, he was healing all the hurt she had ever felt her whole life.

He laid her out on the ground, with that blessed padding between her back and the ground and thankfully some clouds had come to bless them with shade, so that neither of them would get sunburned.

Her legs had parted for him after she had hiked up her dress after untying his own drawstring holding up his pants as he even took off his tunic and bundled it up so that it could be a pillow beneath her head as he fucked her into the stone hard ground so good, she feared he might hurt himself. But her legs were also happy to hook at the ankles behind the small of his back so that he could still snap his hips into hers.

She felt all too soon, her pleasure seemed to rise as she feared he would not be able to hold out long enough. But to her shock and surprise, he did not relent. If anything, he seemed to find a beautiful balance and a groove and before she knew it, she was jumping off the precipice of pleasure and pulling him with her as he came in a shuddering groan as he emptied into her before they paused and caught their breath and recover while basking in the afterglow.

“I love you, I love you, I love you.” Broman cooed as he leaned up on his elbows that had planted on either side of her shoulders to dip his head to kiss her all over her face while saying the words in Alqua- over and over again as she giggled and let him before she placed her hands over his face and kissed him back soundly.

“I love you too. I’m sorry I misunderstood and jumped to the wrong conclusion.” She offered in Alqua.

“I’m sorry too. From now on, just talk to me to work out misunderstandings ok?” He pleaded.

“Ok.” She nodded before she kissed him again.

“Have sex with me. Make love to me, in bed this time.” Selene requested in Flannish which got Broman to smile brightly.

“Yes My Love.” He readily agreed before he got off of her only to pick her up again and carry her inside as she giggled and opened the door for him so he could kick the door in gently before using his foot to kick it shut and carried her up the stairs to the bed and did as she asked- and made love to her in her bed, this time, it being a lot more comfortable for both of them as she even took the lead and had him lie down so she could climb on top of him to ride him the way she wanted as he happily laid back and let her do as she pleased, and learn her right, by holding her up, wherever she would move his hands to her. Especially her amazing, petal soft breasts that filled hands, and her pink nipples like little flowers in moonlight. Or her hips that had started to gain more softness and strength.

“Grip a bit harder and help move me.” She coached before he let his fingertips dimple in her hips as he helped move her pelvis into his.

“Yes, just like that.” She praised as she finally let herself fall into this- feeling like it was the first time in her life, that she was laying with someone who really and truly loved her and only her.

Back in Masar Alquimar, every male only saw her as a priestess and potential high priestess. And she could see through them and their disingenuous attempts to court her, since they viewed her as a way to gain even more riches and power and influence. Which she despised.

Her first husband had laid with her because- to him- she was the fairest beauty in the land.

But Broman? Was laying with her because he didn’t care about any of that, hell he didn’t even know about her priestess days, he didn’t need to or want to either. He only saw her, as old, aged and scarred on the inside as she was- and loved her anyway. He was good to her anyway, he was gentler with her because of her past. He loved her wholly and completely, always giving, never taking, always accepting her as she was and not trying to change a single thing about her but was instead changing himself to suit her- to be- whatever she wanted or needed him to be. Not what she could be or what he thought she represented. That when he looked at her, all he saw was just her and was perfectly happy and content with that. Which is what she had wanted all along.

Meanwhile, you were happy to hang out in the barn, caring for the cows and the chickens and even got to milk the cows again so that you would have fresh sweet milk for tonight as you were content to churn the butter in the little causeway between the barn and the house, to leave your parents all the privacy they wanted. Once you were done, you slipped into the flower garden to see that your mother had bought new plates and dishes and had set the table already as you slipped from the garden, into the house, trying to move as quietly as you could as you tried not to giggle when you heard their pleasured keens and moans from the upstairs loft as you moved dinner- to the table outside, using the best dishes in the house to do so that your mother had already set out on the table in the kitchen. Then you got the special candles- that were already in their special candle holders and set them up on the table outside and lit them. And when it was all done, they sounded like they had reached completion again as you got your book bag and simply finished your homework as you waited for them to hopefully be done for now- to come down to eat dinner with you in the garden.

As it seemed, they too finally remembered you as Broman was happy to be given new clothes that Selene had made for him for the last three months, thinking that he wasn’t staying the night because he had no new clothes to wear when and if he did.

“Do you like them?” She asked.

“I love them. They fit…really well.” He noted as he moved his arms and shoulders around in awe.

“Good. I tried to make sure you could wear them comfortably.” She grinned as she got redressed in another, comfortable dress and came down the stairs with him. .

“Stasi?” Selene called out once she came down the bannister to see her kitchen- now bare of all the food she had spent all day cooking.

“In the garden Mama.” You called back as you finished your homework and put the little chalkboard away to open the door to reveal you and the dinner already on the table.

“Oh! You already set dinner out here. Thank you.” She thanked you as she hugged and kissed your cheeks.

“Of course, I figured you and Papah would need time and room to be alone for a bit.” You giggled.

“Were we too loud?” Selene asked.

“Nope. Not at all. I was hoping all of Hestra would hear how there is no Papah for me but Papah.” You beamed knowingly.

“Are you better now? Do you understand the misunderstanding? Did you make peace?” You asked hopefully.

“Yes, thank you for encouraging me to listen.” She smiled.

“Thank you for listening Mama.” You thanked her as you hugged her.

“And thank you for not giving up Papah. Thank you.” You thanked him as you launched yourself into Broman’s arms as he caught you and picked you up to hug you tight.

“I’m never going to give up Stasi, not on you or your Mother, never ever.” He vowed as he kissed your cheek and you giggled to feel his beard tickle your cheek and your neck.

“And neither will I.” You beamed.

“Mama made the best food for dinner tonight!” You said before he let you down as Selene got to tell you and him about what she had made as the three of you sat down to eat the feast she had prepared before Broman- out of habit- said prayer to Luna first for the meal and then to Dhanos as he held your hand and Selene’s before she poured out a glass of wine, for once, not having to worry about “spicing” the wine or “medicating it” as you were happy to drink your fresh milk after you poured it into one of the cold glasses as you were relieved when Broman could drink wine with your mother, only drinking a single glass. Never more than one, just in case she could grow nervous.

There was an ease now, a peace and happiness now in all of you and the home in general. The garden was blooming and it smelled wonderful. The food was especially delicious. There was a discrete luxury that made things comfortable and enjoyable. Where all of you felt settled, felt at home. Both with the people and the place.

Broman took the time to explain what his strategy for the tournament was, which was not to win, but to simply beat out all those who had tried to offer your mother the purse, but that he knew there was another few knights who were now in their prime, had wives and little ones themselves who had no interest in your mother, would most likely win. This explanation gave your mother a sense of relief and gratitude for his maturity and humility and honor. And could now, accept as she then noticed that his armor, had “magically” moved to the courtyard as she now, simply looked at it with a new set of eyes. Eyes of appreciation.

But that meant that your mother could divulge that the dress she had been working on for the last 4 months, was almost done in the fixer tank and would be taken out the next morning, and would be washed and worn tomorrow. It was a dress that had a rainbow of colors dyed and would show off her skills as a dyer and would actually be able to serve as an example of her work. And hopefully drum up even more business. The perfect sampling. As well as the bits of soap that didn't fit into a bar. The odd bits, were cut into small cubes and could be given out as samples too to help drum up business.

Broman could only praise such an excellent business tactic and could hope that it would be successful.

After dinner, you got to watch the sunset color the sky, above the walls of the garden as you kissed your parents goodbye as they walked you across the street to your friend’s house to stay the night as they held hands and Selene got to wear her new engagement ring that Broman had gotten her that fit just right before he walked her home and helped close up the house and the barn and get ready for bed.

“I need to tell you something.” Selene offered as they got back into bed and pulled the covers up as Broman’s body welcomed the very comfortable feel of the mattress.

“What?” He asked as he gathered her into his arms, happy that she fit so nicely against him, marveling at her soft skin under his fingertips, kicking himself for not doing this so much sooner.

“The war in Masar Alquimar, was not fought with soldiers, or troops. There was no bloodshed. But there was a war in the sense that every so many years, there is a new dynasty. Not in a royal palace, but in a temple one. The reason I feel uncomfortable in Dhanos’ temple, is because I have already pledged my worship as a priestess of Luna. It’s like a nun from Dhanos- trying to be a nun for another god.” She tried to explain.

“Oh. That makes sense.” Broman blinked in surprise but gave a nod of understanding.

“Luna wanted me to be her High Priestess. She was about to anoint me as such. But…but I didn’t feel worthy. I didn’t want to be her High Priestess. I was already content with just being a normal priestess. I didn’t want to be responsible for leading the spiritual lives of all those in Luna’s patron city of Masar Alquimar. I come from a very large family, larger than yours. My sisters were also priestesses, and they wanted to be bigger, better ones. They wanted to be Luna’s High Priestess, not because they were that devoted to her, but because they wanted the wealth and the prestige and the honor and praise of it more than anything else. Luna saw that and demoted them for that. But because I did not want such things, that’s why she tried to give me that in the first place. I was expected to be the first human high priestess in the new convergence of the spheres. I didn't want to be, nor had any desire or ambition- to be that though. But I was hunted by lots of people who were looking to benefit from my ascension to that lofty position. There was a war over it. A bitter rivalry. There were so many plots of intrigue. I felt trapped and ensnared and that everyone was out to get that crown, that might as well have been a shackle for all the rules and traditions that go with it. It was a war I did not want to fight in. Which meant that another took it once I fled and bowed out. But because of the nature of it, the current High Priestess’s daughters- whose own mother is now in that position, will most likely do anything and everything to keep myself and especially Stasi from ever posing a threat to them keeping that lofty position and keeping their dynasty going- since she- by me- has a natural birth right to it. But to protect her from that ugly side of Luna’s temple and her worship- I have not told her this and won’t tell her this for a long time, until she’s old enough to fully understand. I have told her there was a war in Masar Alquimar. And such a city is at least ten times the size of this one. She has asked me why I did not take her there instead of here. But, I do not have the heart or the strength or courage to tell her. And if Luna wants Stasi to be her High Priestess, she’s gonna have to come and take her from me herself. Going in spirit during the full moon is one thing. Going in person- is something altogether different, and possibly dangerous.” Selene whispered.

“Dangerous how?” Broman asked.

“Because, when and if we go in person. Luna can anoint her- even as a child. And- by tradition, even one as young as she is- must be taken in by the High Temple, and must begin their training right then and there. Stasi is still a child. She is still owed a childhood. Even as one as painful as hers has been so far. So, if we are to go back and visit in person. I only ask that we wait until Stasi is at least older, old enough to really make that kind of decision for herself. And not one made for her- when she is still too young to really know and understand all of it. Because with the High Priestess position, comes a marriage to Luna’s High Priest. One that she too elects and anoints. I had no love or affection for any of the priests. And I did not want to marry someone who would only marry me because of a tradition. Or would only grow to respect me because I was a High Priestess and not because I deserve respect as a person. That’s what I fled. And that’s why I still stay away. Because you are the only one- who has ever loved me. And just me. And loved Stasi and just Stasi. As we are, without any or all of that.” Selene admitted.

“Ok. I understand. We can do that. I’ll find any other excuse to keep us here then until you’re ready and willing and able to go in person then. I agree, Stasi does need protection. And I also agree that if Luna wants Stasi as her High Priestess, she should come and get her- herself once Stasi is grown up and able to make such a decision on her own too. And if you need to keep this a secret from Stasi for a while, I’ll help you keep it, for as long as you need me to. Ok? I don’t think Luna would want to tear us apart, just as we come together.” Broman mused.

“Ok.” Selene nodded.

“Make love to me again.” She requested.

“Yes My Love.” He smiled before he rolled over her to cover her with himself and make love to her as many times as she would want or need or ask. They had all night.

#Anastaschia High Priestess of Luna #Anastaschia High Priestess of Luna Chapter 6 #Still alive!#mideval fantasy love story

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