The Smell of Right, and Wrong - Chapter 6
Paul was making every choice in this cat and mouse game, based on the things he saw in visions or dreams. Every detail has been correct so far, but now he's depending on them to keep them alive.
The Misty Marsh, and Memories of the Future.
Paul could not get the visions, or future memories, or whatever these things were, out of his damned head. They were so real, that he could still taste, feel, and smell, every amazing thing like it had really just happened. He knew that he couldn't let that stuff distract him now. At least not until the only fun part that he saw so far in them, started to come true. With what he was seeing around them now, and the details he could remember from the vision, it was all lining up perfectly. The direction they were heading into the marsh, looked like it was going to be getting a bit deeper, and ahead of that, the mist or fog was also much thicker. Etta stayed close and for part of the walk, held Paul's hand. As they waded through the shin deep mud, the little plants floating on the surface looked like a fuzzy green blanket. Paul kept looking down at them, with their little clover patterned fuzzy leafs, they appeared to glitter in the light like they were covered in frost. He looked at Etta and saw her just gazing around at everything in amazement. Her beautiful face was full of wonder, and awe, intaking all of the new plants, and wildlife. She was perfect, and he was just happy that she was there with him.
Keep in mind, this is while Paul was constantly having to peek back up at the horizon once a second, just to make sure they were not walking into a pack of maniacal wallaby people, or some other type of monster. For some reason though, he found Etta, and the little water plants to be fascinating, and he kept looking back over at them. He paid no attention to these little details last time. As they were walking the floating carpet of plants moved around their legs like a zipper opening on the forward side, and then closing back behind them. He looked back, and there was no signs behind them showing that they had passed through. He was still looking back behind them, when he thought he cought another glimpse of another short silhouetted figure. It looked like one of the creatures that left the clawed footprints on the stream bank. Like the one that was peeking at them from behind a tree back on the dry land. It was kind of hazy now though with the fog, and at that distance the visibility was very poor, he couldn't be sure. That plus the fact that he didn't want to freak Etta out, meant he just didn't say anything about it. At least for now. They just kept going, and were almost into the thick foggy area, when the mud was getting deeper than he remembered in his vision. Were they going the right way? He wondered to himself silently.
He was hips deep in the muck, and Etta was in it almost up to her belly button. When Paul suddenly pulled the blade out, and Etta heard it. He had it gripped tightly, and was pointing it behind them, when she spun around to see why. “Something isn't right!” he said, and now they could both feel that creepy sensation they were being watched. It was something that Paul could just feel, a gut instinct of sorts. But for some reason, Etta said “there is no danger, it's just a watcher.” That much he knew also, that the spy was just a passive observer, but the fact that Etta said that, totally surprised him. He had visions of it, but she knew it too somehow, and he just didn't know how. Something else was just different this time. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it felt almost like he was walking into a store that he was very familiar with, but they moved every item in it around.
This freaked Paul out, he began wondering now if the things he remembered, were just giving him a false sense of security. Unsure of what else to do, he was backing toward the fog with one arm out in front of Etta defensively, and the other wielding the short sword. That moment is right when he cought a whiff of the musty smell again, the one that he really hoped was not paired with the footprints they saw. He scanned left, and right, then he looked back behind them into the fog bank, there was nothing there. At least nothing that he could see. He kept his defensive stance, and just slowly kept backing into the mist.
“Thank the gods” Etta said, just as they got a few yards into the thick fog, the mud started to get more shallow again. This mud and stuff is getting all up in my… nevermind, Etta said. Paul nodded in agreement, “Mine too Etta, mine too” Then an awkward moment of silence happened, they kept backing up into the shallower mud, but it was also deeper into the thick fog. Paul was just about to break the silence, when Etta beat him to it. Look Paul it's some high ground, she happily pointed it out. He followed her finger to see a hill behind them. “Good,” Paul said, let's get up there. The mud is all up in my “nevermind” as well. She looked back at him, and he expected a joke. Instead, she said shhhh, and then stopped moving right at the edge of the hill island, still ankle deep in the marsh. She turned her head, and cupped her hand putting it up to the ear that was facing the island. For a second Paul's heart felt like it was beating in his throat. What is it Etta? He asked her in a whisper. She hesitated for a second. “Running water?” she said, then continued, at least that is what it sounds like. Good, Paul got ahead of her, and pulled her up the sloped hill. At the top edge of it, he looked back down into the muddy water at the shoreline. Right where they had just been standing, some huge serpentine creature swam through and Paul could see the wake on the surface. He looked over at Etta to see if she saw it also, luckily she didn't and was scanning the island. Whatever it was, it neared the size of an alligator, Paul had to assume that it wasn't fuzzy, cute, or friendly.
They got a bit further into the island, and Paul tried to scan the area. The thickness of the fog was getting worse though, and now when Etta was five feet away, he could hardly see her. “Wait up” he said to her, we don't want to get separated in this place. Then she suggested they scan the area, just to make sure there were no footprints, or other signs of danger, she said, and Etta was right. He did hear running water though, and instantly began to get distracted by the thought of her standing on the edge of the steaming pool in his vision, completely nude. He instantly got goosebumps. Finally the fun events from his vision, may be just minutes ahead of them. He hid it well, but he was giddy, and excited at the idea. Listen Paul, she said and then cupped her hand up to her ear again. It's this way, Etta grabbed his hand and started pulling him.
They followed the sound, and found a small stream. It was warm enough that it was steaming in the 70°F air temp in the marsh. The further up the little stream they looked, the thicker the steam was. “There's no mosquitos here.” Etta was looking at her arms, and in the air around her. This walk was getting more and more different from the one in his vision. That is, until they walked up to the hot spring. Paul dropped the stuff at the edge of it, and reached down and touched the water. It was roughly hot tub temperature. He began stripping his shoes and socks off, and when he finished, he slid in. Etta was still taking her shoes off. How is it, she asked him. It's not bad, Paul told her, it's just a bit warm at first. He looked down at the mud floating off of his clothes, and imagined Etta preparing like she did in his vision. When he glanced up she was taking her shirt off. Paul's heart instantly started thumping.
Etta reached down and dipped her shirt in the hot water, she thoroughly rinsed the mud from it and rung it out. Paul was lost in thought as she turned around, and hung it on a low branch. When she turned back to the hot spring pool, she slid her pants off and did the same thing. Paul was almost in a trance watching her, but still baffled at how different this was. She turned around to get in and stopped, she told Paul to listen. She ducked down and looked around Paul jumped up out of the pool and pulled the blade from its sheath. He flipped it and looked in the reflection of the mirrored pommel. He got silent, and his face went pale. He motioned for Etta to get close, and he stood with her behind him. Both of their backs to the steaming pool. Show yourselves, Paul growls out angrily. He held the sword up in a way that Etta cought glimpses of the area, and saw that they were surrounded.
They began to make them selves visible one at a time, the first one looked to be the oldest. She had purple hair, and lavender skin like Lila Dame. Just like the other 8 of them standing around they were all silently focused on Paul, and Etta. The elder purple woman spoke, but they could not understand her. The much younger warrior woman at her side translated. “You must hurry, and be married. The throne awaits..” Excuse me, who's marrying what? Etta was genuinely baffled at the situation. Paul however knew already. Not that this would happen. He just somehow knew from his visions, and the feeling of having married her before. The younger warrior woman had markings on her face, at first Paul thought they were tattoos, but as she stepped closer it became more apparent that they were vivid purple scars. He edged over to the side of the pool where Etta’s clothes were hanging. He told her to grab the clothes, and get dressed.
Why do I need to be married before sitting on the Oaken Throne? The young warrior woman spoke to the elder purple woman. The other six of the purple ladies just stood around them silently. The older woman took a second to inspect Paul, and Etta before answering. A king is only part of the prophecy. The tales say He escapes our corrupted sister, and brings the Blade of Ages and his Queen to Sit beside him. Paul, began to let his guard down.
Etta silently dressed as she scanned the ladies around them. They could have easily attacked, if they wanted to harm her or Paul. Instead their weapons were no longer being held offensively. They were standing at ease while the elder of them relayed a message. She processed what was going on, and decided to ask a question that none of them cleared up. “What happens once we are married, and we sit the throne?” This cought Paul off guard. He figured there was going to be a debate, or at least a vague discussion on their wedding. The elder said something to the young warrior woman, and the whole group of purple warrior women giggled. The young warrior woman blushed, she looked at Etta and Paul, then she held up both of her hands, one she made a circle with her thumb and forefinger. With the other hand, she held up her index finger, and she began poking her finger through the hole. First you do this, then the doors to the world tree will open again. Paul burst out laughing, and after the shock of the vulgar schoolyard symbolism faded, Etta did also. Paul thought for a second, then he just approached the young warrior woman, and leaned in to whisper something in her ear. She just nodded yes, and asked the elder woman something. Then the elder nodded, turned and began to walk away, as she did she motioned with her hand for the others to follow her.
Etta and Paul hung back so that they were the last ones in the line. What did you say to her, and where are we going, Etta asked Paul. To the throne I suppose, but I told her that I didn't have a ring to propose to you. Etta I don't know where to begin, but the visions that I had over the time we have been here, they were all of us. Some of them seemed to be like they were in different lifetimes, at least that's how they felt. She grabbed his hand and stopped him from walking. I did also Paul, it happened when Lila Dame had screamed. She didn't say anything else, she just began following the ladies into the mist. Paul’s mind began racing, he was thinking back at all the events of the chase that led them here. The group reached the edge of the island, and the elder woman stopped at the muddy edge. She held her arms up, and began making a humming noise. It got louder, and louder and after a few seconds Paul saw some of the shadowy figures that he had seen following and watching them, they were on a ferry coming through the mist. There were two of them on the boat, one at the front, and one at the rear. They each had a pole in their hands pushing the flat boat through the mud. When they got closer, Paul and Etta saw their faces. They were not human, at least not fully, they had canine faces. When the ferry boat bumped into the shore in front of the elder, the creature at the front of the boat removed his hood. Then he bowed to the elder. She stepped into the boat, and the other purple warrior women followed her. Paul and Etta stepped on the boat, and the dog man had bowed to the both of them also.
They got themselves centered on the boat, and the canine figure near the shore used his pole to pushed them away from the island, and into the mist. The little ferry got pushed through the marsh for what seemed like 20 to 30 minutes. On the Ride, the young warrior woman introduced her elder as “The Mother” and herself as “the Singing Sister.” She told Paul, and Etta that the canine figures had been following them, and were making sure that the Corrupted Lila Dame did not get close enough to attack them again. When the boat came out of the mist, they could see a shoreline ahead of them that stretched from horizon to horizon. Paul looked down and noticed that the boat was in water and not mud any longer. It wasn't very deep, he could see grasses on the bottom just waving in the currents, and little fish darting around in it a few feet below the surface. When the ferry reached the shoreline, there was a docking pole that the canine creatures tied it to. The group got off of the boat, and the young woman that had been their translator said “Welcome to the shield lands,” this is your kingdom. Paul looked ahead of them and saw the front of the line was approaching a treeline. He grabbed Etta’s hand, “this” Paul pointed ahead of them is “Our” kingdom. How does that sound my queen? Like I need a cheeseburger, Etta replied, and a comfortable place to sit. Paul proclaimed to her that her request for some food, would be his first royal decree. As soon as we make sure that our “Kingdom” has a kitchen of some sort. He looked at her unsure.
Their quest into the woods was not a very long one. They came to a clearing in the brush, and trees, and saw a tall stone wall ahead of them. There was a large door set into the huge stones. When they got closer, Paul and Etta realized just how big the stones of the wall and the door actually were. The oddly cut stones were each taller than Etta and Paul by a few feet, and the door was 4 courses of them in height. An elephant standing on the back of another elephant, could walk through it, and not touch the top. When the whole group got to the door, the canine creature escorts both walked to the left edge of the door. There was a rope tied from up above down to a bracket on the wall. They both grabbed it and pulled it down, when they did a huge bell rung inside.
The New Kingdom.
When the huge doors began to open, the sound of music immediately came through, becoming more apparent the further it opened. Paul and Etta looked in amazement at all of the people and structures of all types. There were market stalls with fishermen, farmers, and tradesmen selling their wares. Behind the market area was a giant hill, with what looked like 2 story red brick residential structures, built all the way up the sides. On the top of the hill was an actual castle. There were green banners flying from the parapets, each one had a golden Tree design in the center. The tree was depicted just like a Celtic tree of life. The roots were a tangled pattern at the bottom, and the branches at the top were similar. The people looked to be a mixture of humans of all races, and some more of the purple ladies, plus there were some clearly non-human races. Dwarves, and Little Fae creatures buzzed about on their daily business just like the rest of them, carrying an armful of lumber or a baskets of goods, headed to some unknown job or maybe back home.
The warrior women stopped in the market area, and the Elder walked up to one of the small trading booths. She talked for a moment, then came back over to Paul with a small box in her hand. Paul opened it, and he saw there was a wedding ring, he thanked the Elder. When he pulled the ring out to really look at it, he began to think that it resembled his mother's ring. He figured that most engagement rings probably did, but if his mom was happy with hers, then this one should be perfect for Etta. Who lucky for him, was currently distracted by the chaos of the market. Paul approached the Young warrior, and whispered another question. She looked over at Etta, and then back at Paul, when she did, she had a puzzled look on her face. She walked over and quietly consulted the elder.
A few moments later, they were walking through the Market toward the hill. Passing by different booths, and different goods in each one. Paul was not going to Propose to Etta in the middle of a busy street market. He is hoping these ladies have a better place for him, and considering the fact that they were “Royalty” now, it had to be a place fit for a queen. Etta had cought up to Paul, and she asked him “where we going now?” He did not want to tell her that it was a place for him to propose, but he did not want to lie to her. “I'm not quite sure where they are taking us,” he told her. Satisfied with that answer, she grabbed and held his hand while they walked. Paul was just thinking that he did not lie, because he knew why they were going where they were headed, but he really did not know where they were going. He had no idea why, but when Etta grabbed his hand, he suddenly realized he was nervous. He was going to propose to this woman and get married.
They kept heading up the massive hill and passed through the residential area. Then they came to another stone wall, and huge door. This door was far different than the one in the outer wall. It was twice as tall as Paul, and completely covered in very detailed carved scenes. When they all reached the door, the young warrior woman that had been translating pulled a small rams horn from her belt, and blew into it. Nether Paul, nor Etta expected the intensity of volume of that small horn. Etta flinched when it first happened, he felt that and then she gripped Paul's hand pretty hard. She also stepped right up to his side so they were shoulder to shoulder. The door started to raise up into wall, that is when Paul noticed one of the carved panels at eye level was a scene of him and Etta. Of something that happened only a few hours earlier. They were in the boulder field, and Paul was standing in front of Etta defensively with the blade in his hand. Etta spotted a scene of them in a different panel, and pointed it out. She was giggling when she did. In this one, Paul was on his back, and it looked like Etta was squatted over him. It looked like Paul had two penises, and she was holding one, and pulling on the other one. We are famous, and your a porn star, she told Paul. He tapped the young warrior on the shoulder, and pointed up at the carved panel as it vanished into the stone. “Is that a story of us?” She just nodded yes, and began walking in. While they walked, she told Paul, and Etta that it was a prophecy that was carved into that door about 2,000 years before.
Once they got inside of the inner wall, they noticed that there were far fewer people. They were standing on the plateau at the top of the hill, it was all far larger looking at it, than it appeared to be from the market looking up the hill. This inner courtyard was easily 20 acres. There was a castle in the middle, and the only other buildings they could see were two huge barns. One of the people inside began walking towards Paul, and Etta. He was an elderly gentleman, and other than his sky blue skin color looked like a normal human. He reached them and he bowed his head, then reached out enthusiastically and shook Paul's hand, then he turned to Etta and and got down on his knees. “Welcome home Princess.” While he was still bowing before the future queen, the young warrior introduced him. Please excuse Ivan, he is rather excited. He is the current keeper of the prophecy, and has been telling the people all of the tales you saw carved into the door nearly his whole life. Please stand Ivan, Etta asked him. Anything for my Queen, he said as he stood.
While Paul, and Etta were being introduced to some of the people outside of the castle, they steadily walked towards the castles front door. The elder was the first one to speak when they got to the doorway. Her voice was unnaturally loud, and when she started everyone in the courtyard went completely silent. She was making some type of public announcement. Paul, and Etta were not quite sure what she said, but the people all seemed to understand. When she finished, a few of them approached Paul, and Etta. Without saying a word the man pulled out a tailors measuring tape, and he and the woman began measuring them. Paul was first, and he did not expect them to be so thorough. They measured his waist, and inseam, the width of his shoulder, those were all standard enough. The woman wrapped the tape around his upper thigh, high enough that she had his manhood under her left hand, and pressed the tape to it. She took her reading, and did the same thing to his other thigh. This time Paul noticed that she had a confused look on her face. She literally felt around his other upper thigh like she was looking for something. Etta looked down at her, and asked “Did you lose something?” You appear to be confused. The lady looked up at her, then at Paul. “I'm so sorry!” She turned bright red in embarrassment, and Paul did the same. “The clothes have to fit perfectly.” She looked even more confused. The man, who had been writing down the numbers that the lady measuring him was telling him, suddenly burst out laughing. He walked up to Paul and whispered in his ear, “Sorry my lord, she thinks you have two penises, because of the carvings. Many of the ladies have this idea in their heads, and this one is in charge of making the Royal clothing.” Paul must have had a comical look on his face, because Etta immediately asked. “What’s so funny?” Paul answered the woman directly. He looked her in the eye, and trying to keep a straight face he said, I only have one penis.
Etta reacted far differently than Paul. She got angry, and slapped the woman. Paul was clearly just as surprised as the woman being slapped. The kings private parts are only to be touched by me. He understood, he also would have been upset, if the guy had walked up and grabbed Etta’s boob or something. He said, I just thought that slapping her was a bit much, what if that is not a “private” thing in their culture. Etta looked horrified, Paul was right. What if she just slapped this lady, for measuring Paul just like every other person she has ever made clothing for. “I'm sorry ma'am, that was not called for. Where we are from only a wife touches her husband, especially those parts of him.” The lady looked a bit relieved, but still appeared a bit skittish after that. When she was measuring Etta, she kept asking her, “May I measure this area my queen?” Etta appeared annoyed, but answered her each time. When that was finished, the Elder, and warrior women guided them both inside.
This castle was amazing in every aspect, the main entrance would have fit Paul’s whole house in it. There were stair cases on the left side of the huge room, one heading up, to a ln open walkway lined in doors. The other end headed down under the castle. That stone stairwell heading down under it, is where the Elder led them. They walked straight down one of the stone corridors for about two minutes, then took a few turns, and came up another set of stairs. These stairs seemed to be going up much farther than the single flight they took down. At the end of what felt like four full flights of stairs, they emerged into an open courtyard. In the center of it, was an enormous oak tree, the trunk of it was as big around as a house. It was so tall, that the lowest sets of its branches were easily 50 feet above their heads, and each one of those branches alone were larger around than any tree Paul had ever seen on earth. He was trying to wrap his head around the size of it. That coupled with the fact that this courtyard was all built, and this tree grown grown on the roof of a castle really amazed him. Etta was also astonished at the sight of it. She was staring up in amazement. The little bits of light that made it through the canopy, looked like thousands of little fairies dancing around the courtyard, and the trunk of the tree. The group began to walk straight towards the tree. It's canopy covered a large portion of the courtyard, and within a few steps, Paul looked over at Etta, and the light dancing on her looked like a constantly shifting leopard pattern. The Elder woman said something, and it was translated by the younger woman with scars. The place you will find some answers, and prepare for the ceremony is in the tree.
Paul, and Etta's eyes both shot up to the branches, but they could not see any signs of construction up there. As they continued to approach the trunk they kept looking, but they still did not see what she was talking about. When they got to the trunk, there was no stairs or ladder on the side they were on. They began walking a rounded perimeter staying several yards from it's base. The roots were pushing up the ground around it so far that it was bulging up like a series of hills. The group kept a path just outside of them. Until the Elder woman started to approach one of the larger roots about a third of the way around. When Paul and Etta reached it, and then saw around it. They began to immediately understand what she meant by saying “in the tree.” There was a set of stairs carved right into the other side of the large root, and when they got to the base, they turned and Zig - zagged further up. There was a wide walkway they stepped onto, that was on a landing carved right into the tree about 20 feet above the ground. At the edge there were support columns, and in between them was a railing that ran the length of it. When they passed the first column, Paul stopped. There were carvings all over it, in a system of writing that he actually recognized. It was all carved in Elder Futhark, but done so that the runes were raised up off the surface. Paul reached out and put his hand on an Othala rune, they were all about the size of his hand from his finger tips, to the base of his palm. They had been sanded or weathered, to point of being very smooth, it was almost like feeling suede. This way you two, there are lifetimes to explore later. The younger warrior was guiding them to an open doorway heading into the trunk of the tree. This is when Paul noticed that it was all carved into the tree, and none of this woodwork was separate pieces of wood. As they headed into the tree, he was looking up at the annual rings running across the roof of the corridor. It is almost like walking through an intricately carved entrance into an oversized termite colony.
When they made it to the back of the hall, there were more stairs. One flight after another, they climbed until they finally made it up to the top. There in front of them was a wide corridor, but it only went back about 5 yards, where it ended at a set of double doors. With the frame of the door being covered with carved vines and leafs, and the doors having such an intricate set of cravings, the room had some obvious significance. The left door was a night time scene, of people sitting around a fire in the forest. The moon overhead, and an Owl staring down at them from a nearby tree were carved in such elaborate detail, that the lines on the birds feathers could be seen. The right side, had a scene of people farming, one man was guiding an Ox pulling a plow, and a lady was walking behind him with a basket of seeds, while tossing a handful in the plowed trench. The seeds were mid air, eternally trapped in the image. The doors straight ahead are large also, Paul estimated they were about 15 feet in height, and each side was wider than his outstretched arms. There was a smaller door on each side of the corridor also, slightly recessed into the side walls just before the larger set. The elder stood in front of the doubled doors with the translator warrior, she said something, and the younger woman translated it. “Each of you must pick two of the priestesses to prepare you, this hygienic ritual before the wedding and bedding ceremony must be done.” Paul and Etta made eye contact with each other and just froze, “hygienic ritual?” Etta silently mouthed to him. He acted brave and just nodded yes, his mind was on proposing to her, he only had seconds to ask her properly. Then they would apparently be carried off into separate rooms and washed.
He had to act fast. He grabbed Etta’s hand, and got down on one knee. She instantly went pale as a ghost, she knew they were doing this whole wedding to hold open the doorways between worlds. She was not scared or nervous at all, what was happening to her was an intense set of visions had begun to play out. She saw multiple scenes that must have been past lives. In them Paul, or some version of him was dropping down on his knee to propose. They were going backwards in time, each new scene had more and more primitive items in the background. After the first two, they were in a pre industrial revolution era. Then the clothing and backgrounds of many of them were blending together, and similar enough that gaging the date was difficult. “Etta, hey Etta are you okay?” She realized that Paul was calling her, and she snapped out of it. She looked down at him, and immediately said “Yes, I will happily marry you.”
These are your bed chambers, the translator started saying before Paul ever stood up. She continued, yours Paul is on this side, and Etta will be across the hall. Now you must each choose two of the sisters for your rituals. Paul squeezed Etta’s hand, he said “we are almost there.” He gently let it go, and approached the six priestesses. When he did, the translator stepped into the line with the rest of them. Paul approached her, and looked at the woman next to her. You two, are my choice. They both nodded, and headed over to the door to Paul's bed chamber. Etta was standing in front of the remaining five next to Paul. Before he walked away, or she chose two of them herself, Etta grabbed Paul and kissed him. She squeezed him in a long hug, and Paul squeezed her back. Don't worry Etta, I'll be right here waiting for you when we are done. She let the hug go and looked up at Paul. Enjoy your last few moments as an eligible bachelor. Then without saying a word, she turned and grabbed the hands of the closest two priestesses, they both nodded and guided her away into her chambers. The door closed behind them, and Paul was still standing there, trying to make sense of what Etta just said. Was that just a random set of words, from a nervous bride to be. He turned and slowly made his way to his chambers, his mind racing thinking about the next part of the ceremony, the one called “Wedding, and Bedding,” and the beautiful woman that was waiting for him when this part was finished.
That's… Different.
Paul stepped into his bed chambers, and he immediately was surprised. The room was huge, and standing by the door he could see nearly everything. There was an enormous bed at one end to his right. It made any king sized bed that he had ever seen seem small. There was a thin mesh hanging on the tall wooden canopy built over it. Not far from the foot of the bed, was a rectangular dining table. There were only two chairs, one at each of the narrow ends, but the table could have easily seated ten people. Right after that was a large stone hearth almost in the middle, it already had some warm coals burning in it. That is where the two priestesses were standing. One of them was putting a metal kettle on the coals at one end of the hearth. The other one was holding a small bowl of some sort, she pulled a few pinches of some herbs out and sprinkled them in the coals. He was immediately hit with a sweet scent. He kept scanning the room, and behind them, at the other side was an enormous tub recessed into the floor. It was filled with warm water already, that had a small amount of steam rising off of it.
He stood there nervously, not knowing what he was supposed to do. The translator motioned for him to approach the hearth between the two of them. She put the bowl she had the sweet smelling herbs in down on a small shelf at the far end of the hearth. There she picked up a different container, this one was more like a jar. When Paul was standing at the hearth, she handed him the jar and asked him to hand it to the other priestess. He happily grabbed it and turned to the other woman, she had three small cups, all sitting empty on the edge of the hearth by the kettle. She took the clay jar from Paul and set the lid on the hearth. She took some stringy looking plant like things out, and set them in each cup. Then she carefully grabbed the hot kettle, and poured some boiling water into each cup. “Paul?” The Translator behind him called his attention, and he spun back around. She was standing there behind him holding out another bowl. It was so close to his face he could smell the herbs intensely. This one had a few types of dried herbs in it, and the scent was familiar, it triggered a nostalgic feeling. When she lowered it, a few seconds later Paul was already feeling some type of intense euphoric effects. He also noticed now that the bowl wasn't right in his face, that the translator priestess was absolutely, and completely naked. He just smiled and said, “The shag carpet matches the drapes.”
The priestess was totally confused, she didn't understand Paul's statement. Although, she was fairly sure he was intoxicated. She just assumed it was nonsense, the effects of the herbal mixture are only intensely strong for another minute or two, so she brushed it off. The mixture tends to have that effect on most people. He dropped down to his knees, and laughed hysterically at his own joke. When he looked up her vivid purple pubic bush was right in front of his face. He looked at it and stopped laughing for just a second, “Hi I'm Paul” instantly he began the laughter again. These herbs are meant to remove stress, and anxiety. The next step he needed to be seated for. So she asked Paul to stand, and he did but required her assistance. Once he was upright she walked him over to the steps leading into the tub. The other priestess carried over a chair from the dining table, and set it next to the tub. Paul looked up and noticed she was just as naked as the translator. Her breasts were huge, and Paul was fascinated with them. Her areola were almost plum purple, and easily wider than his whole hand. When they set him in the chair he was eye to eye with their four boobs. The priestess that translated walked over and grabbed the cups tea made from the stringy stuff. She handed one to Paul, and told him to drink it all. Without breaking eye contact with the large purple nipples before him, he grabbed the cup and dumped it in his mouth. He handed the empty cup right back to her. That’s when they each grabbed a corner of his shirt and pulled it up, and off over his head.
The priestesses each drank their cups of tea also. Then Paul realized that the large breasted priestess had something else in her hand. He was staring at it, and Paul was now trying to figure out what the object was. It was shiny, long, and narrow, but it had one bulbous end. She struck a match, and then held the flame under the bulbous part. After about 5 seconds, a stream of thick yellow smoke was coming from the narrow end. She held it up to her lips and pulled some of the smoke into her mouth. She inhaled deeply, and held her breath. Her chest was filled with the smoke, and her massive tits cought Paul's attention again. She looked at him staring at her chest, and turned the pipe toward the other priestess. The translator took it from her and inhaled some of the smoke also. As she took a puff, the other priestess kept looking at Paul, while he was gazing at her chest, she slid one of her shoulder straps to the side, and slowly slid it down further until her nipple jutted past the edge of the fabric. He realized she was looking at him and he began to blush and look away. Thankfully it was Paul's turn with the pipe, to him the smoke tasted like lavender, and medicine. He held it in for a few seconds, and by the time he was exhaling it he felt a warm comfortable relaxing feeling settle into his whole body. The translator told him, enjoy the Poppy's milk, and honestly how could he not.
As he put his back against the padded chair, and settled his arms on the plush arm rests, the translator began to unbutton his pants. Paul was silent as he watched the two of them grab his waist band and slowly peeled his pants down, he didn't even notice he had a full on erection, until his pants passed his thighs and it popped out, flew back up and slapped his stomach. He picked his feet up and they both slid his pants down, until they slipped right over his feet. They helped him to his feet, and he noticed the priestess with large breasts was staring at his penis. They walked him into the steaming bath, and laid him on the stone bench in the middle of the tub. He was flat on his back on the bench, laying in about 3 inches of the warm water, and his penis was sticking straight up in the air. This was awkward, but he was so relaxed that he just went with it. The priestess was still staring at his manhood as it proudly stood there and stared back at her. She turned to the translator priestess, and asked her something. When she asked her, she pointed to his circumcision scar. The translator put her head down to inspect it, and her face was so close to his penis that he could feel her hot breath on it as she asked Paul the question, “Where is the skin that covers the tip? We have never seen one like this before.” Paul picked his head up and looked down at it. The doctors cut it off when I was a baby, he told them. They both froze in horror. The priestess with large boobs was standing at Paul's head. The stone bench was about at knee height to them while they were standing in the water. Paul looked up at the bottom of her boobs, and was going to say something, then he noticed her other lady parts were inches from his face. When the translator began washing his legs with nothing but soap on her soft warm hands, it struck him even more speechless. He instantly had chills all over his body. When she made it up to his manhood, the other priestess stepped around the bench, and down by his legs. She used a pitcher full of water to begin rinsing him off, everywhere that he had just been washed. She followed behind the other priestess rinsing him. At the moment she was holding his balls cupped in one hand and was pouring warm water over them with the pitcher. He just laid his head back, and stared up at the ceiling, enjoying every bit of this whole ritual situation.
They had finished washing and rinsing him off, and while he laid there all of his senses were in overdrive. The translator walked over next to his head, and looked down at him. She said something but Paul didn't register what it was, he was fixated on the vivid purple scars on her stomach and thigh. They appeared to be moving across her skin. She called his name again, and he finally looked up toward her face. How do you want us to drain your old fluids? She asked him but it went in one ear, and out the other. He answered with “whatever is the easiest for you.” He still didn't really hear her, and process what she was asking. He was in a daze watching the purple vivid scars dancing around on the translators body. She said something to the other priestess in their language, and then looked back down at Paul. She was looking down smiling at him. He smiled back, and as he did he felt something new. While he stared at the translators scars, the other priestess was gripping the base of his penis in one hand, but there was something very warm and smooth slowly rubbing around the head of it. He looked down to see what it was, and found that she had the whole tip of his member firmly in her mouth, and she was seductively looking back up at him.
Her vivid purple eyes were glinting in the dim light. She kept eye contact with him while she slowly slid more and more of him into her mouth. He was about to be married, he thought to himself, this should not be happening. He tried to say something, but couldn't he was in a trance watching her.
When he turned back to look at the translator, she was sitting in the chair with a small pair of drums. She lightly began to tap on them, and the sound actually felt like it was happening, and resonating from inside of his chest. He noticed the scar running from her ribs down to her thigh moving more. This was not just a small amount either, this time it crawled up from her thigh, and began forming different shapes on her stomach as she tapped away on the drums. He was squinting his eyes and trying to focus, what he was seeing seemed unreal. In the low light it looked like her nipples were now eyes, and they were staring at him. He felt the other priestesses hands on his knees, she pushed them apart, one of the translators eye nipples winked at him. His heart started hammering in his chest to beat of the drum, when her hands slid up his inner thigh until each of her hands was cupping one of his testicles. Her slow moving up and down motion sucking on him, and the gentle kneading of his balls, had also begun to match the rhythm of the drums. When he looked back down at her, he saw that it wasn't her, it was Etta where the priestess was. Her curly brown hair was bouncing as her head bobbed up and down, his member sinking into her mouth, while her pouty lips bulged out around it. His heart beat, her mouth, and her hands, all moving to the drum beat. He laid there and watched intently for several minutes, until Etta stopped sucking and began working him with her hands. The tempo of the drum started to get faster, and Etta's hands did also. When he looked back over to see the priestess playing the drums, it was Etta also, sitting half way across the room in the chair playing them. His eyes instantly snapped back down to see who was giving him a hand job, and when he did he saw that all three of them were servicing him. All three of their heads were bouncing around his pelvis, Etta was kneeling between his legs, and the purple ladies were each at his side, by one of his hips kneeling down and also rhythmically rubbing and tugging him. He was about to climax, when the confusion and anxiety he was feeling from the hallucinations just melted away. He just laid his head back, and looked up at the ceiling and let it all happen.
The orgasm that Paul had, was nothing like any that he had ever experienced before. It felt like every negative thing that ever happened to him just flew from the head of his dick in a sticky wad. When he looked back down again to see Etta and the priestesses, there was nobody there. Instead his erection was there by itself, still sticky and dripping with his unloaded fluids. His gaze shot back over to scan the room, and the priestesses were not even in the tub with him. They were both fully clothed sitting in the chairs by the hearth watching him. Each of them was playing an instrument. The translator had a small set of drums, and the other priestess had a small reed flute. When Paul looked at them, they both stopped playing and stood up. They set the instruments on the edge of the hearth, and came over to help him out of the tub. The translator poured a pitcher of water on Paul's penis and stomach attempting to rid him of the sticky mess, rinsing most of it away. He was confused.
She said “Will you clean the old seed from your penis while I rinse it, we can not touch this part of you.” She handed him a lathered up wash rag, while she scooped more water from the tub into the pitcher. Paul grabbed it from her, and scrubbed himself as she rinsed. But, his mind was really racing now, he was wondering to himself, if that was all just a vivid hallucination. It must have been.
Right ?
To be continued. . .
Stay tuned for the Final chapter,
Next Week, on “The Smell of Right, and Wrong” Paul and Etta’s Ceremony concludes. That is after Etta has a major revelation, and there is also a big twist. One that nobody saw coming…
Well, there was actually one person who saw it. Paul's Mom.. 🤔 ? 😉
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