Beneath The Sacred Cloak

"And what do you know about the woman in red?" he asked with surprising calm.

I thought he'd be angry, but far from it. "I was in your study one day getting the schooling books and heard the noise in the drawer." I pointed to the drawer. "I saw her words to you." He shifted in his chair.

"Since you saw the pictures, did you read them?"

I never lied to him, no matter what the outcome might be. "Yes," I said, and a flush crept across his handsome face. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have."

He didn't say anything but just regarded me. "What is done is done,' he finally said. "What did you discover?"

I was still on my knees and settled back on my feet. "That she is not like us. She lives in the other world and is free to do what she wants."

"Is that all you think?" He steepled his fingers together.

"You and she are together out there."

"Have you talked to Orla or anyone else about it?"

"No, sir. No one." He looked relieved.

"Good, good." He acted as though that was the end of our conversation.

"I want you to tell me about her."

"Why?"

"Because she is not in my world, and I want to know about her."

He seemed as though he would tell me no, but he realized that I held the key to his secret. Something that could bring his world crashing down around him and the loyal people that followed him. He had no way of knowing that I would never divulge his secret, no matter what.

He settled back in his chair and said, "She's a dancer. One day when I went to pick up groceries, her car wouldn't start, and I helped her and—"

"Not all that," I cut in. "Tell me exactly what she does. What she looks like."

"Oh, oh." He looked out the window momentarily; it was the first time I'd seen my Father's face soften. "She has beautiful red hair. Bright red." He chuckled. "Many women would be embarrassed by how bright it is, but Coral flaunts it."

"And? What kind of dancer?" I asked, encouraging him.

He sighed, obviously unprepared to talk about that, but I waited.

"She dances in clubs. Mostly men go to watch, some couples."

"Describe her," I said.

"She's tall. Nearly my height. She's beautiful."

"She doesn't wear sack dresses."

He smiled. "No, she doesn't. She is from the modern world, Zara."

"Does she know about us? Here?" I asked.

"Some, not much. My relationship with her hasn't affected my faith here."

I considered that for a while and chose not to say anything. I was interested in this for my benefit and not to punish my Father.

"I want to meet her. I want to see the club. Watch her dance." I was fascinated with the idea. Dorian Gray had opened another window from which I viewed the world. I felt braver, a bit more aggressive even.

"Why are you so interested in her?"

"Because she is my first link to the modern world."

Her and Dorian Gray. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are cultivated. For these, there is hope.

I want to discover it all.

.

EMBRACING THE UNCHARTED

.

The following week I was meeting my Father after my mother retired for the night. We went to the community center, and he opened a locked cabinet.

"Here, put these on. You can't go looking like that," he said, looking at my sack dress. I walked around the corner and slid on slim black pants and a white long-sleeved shirt. I walked to the car finding the pants incredibly uncomfortable, wondering why women would wear them.

We drove for an hour, finally pulling into a parking lot. The gravel crunched under the tires as he went around the back of the building into the darkness.

"Just follow me."

He went to the back door, knocked twice, and the door inched open, then swung wider. He stepped in, and I followed. At that moment, I felt comforted by my clothing, which kept me as covered as my sack dress.

"This is Zara," he said. "Zara, this is Coral. She will take you back to the dressing room with her."

My eyes tried to adjust to the dim hall lighting, but she had taken my hand, and we moved quickly into a well-lit room.

"Come sit with me while I get ready," she said, her voice soft and kind.

I sat next to her in front of a mirror that had lightbulbs all around it. I looked at our reflections side by side in the mirror. Her beauty is next to my ordinariness.

My eyes went to hers in the mirror. "You're beautiful."

She smiled and said, "Thanks, and so are you, darlin'." She leaned towards the mirror and colored her lips. "You don't believe me, do you? I could prove it, but I don't think your Dad would approve."

My Dad. "No one had ever called him that before."

She stopped for a moment and studied me. "He has told me some about what goes on in your group, but not much. I was never sure if he was making it up, but I can see he wasn't." She put her arm around my shoulders and hugged me.

There wasn't much I could say to that. "Have you ever worn makeup? This stuff that we slather all over our faces in the name of beauty?" she said, laughing, and I laughed as well.

"No, we don't wear it, and this is the first time I've ever seen it."

"Really," she said, not making it a question. "I have my first set to do. Would you like to watch from backstage?" I nodded. "Good. I'm going to like knowing you're here."

She stood up, took her robe off, and looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a shiny silver top like the pictures that were red. She leaned over and pulled her breasts out and up. She hooked the sides of her panties high on her hips. She leaned over and strapped on silver high shoes with the highest heels I'd ever seen.

She took my hand. "C'mon, Zara, let's go knock 'em' dead."

I stood off from the back end of the stage and could watch Coral and the men along the edge.

The stage went black, and the lights came up with the music. It was a loud hard beat, and she writhed on the floor, rolled into splits, then crawled to the edge of the stage to the men. They began to toss folded-up bills onto the stage. She smiled, said something, rolled onto her back, planted her feet on the stage, and pushed up and down. The whole place began to holler and shout while she rocked and swiveled her hips in circles.

She rolled from the position to her feet and grabbed the pole. She wrapped her legs around the pole and walked herself up the pole, then turned upside down, lowering one leg until she did an upside-down split. The roar was deafening. Then I noticed my Father standing next to the table for a better view, his hands cupped around his mouth, joining in on the shouting. She finished the song, working along the stage while they tossed more money at her.

"Give it up for Electra Moon," the announcer shouted, and Coral gave each side of the room a deep bow.

"Phew," she said, running back and hugging me. "What did you think, darlin'?"

"I want to do that."

Her face went from a smile to a big grin. "Really?!" We began to walk down the dark hall.

"I do. I want to try it." I don't know what came over me. Maybe just knowing it might be my only time in the modern world.

"Fuck. Your Dad will kill me," she said with a smirk. "But who cares," she said, shrugging. "The last set is amateur. Do you want to try it?"

"Yes!"

I can't begin to explain the excitement that coursed through my body. I was feeling things I'd never felt before. I prepared myself for the transformation.

"Sit there. I'll put your makeup on." She sat next to me and began to work. "You're excited, aren't you?" She grinned. "You're going to kill it out there." She stroked the color on my lips, colored my eyes, and put long eyelashes on. I couldn't wait to look at myself.

"Wow," I breathed when I turned to look. "I don't even recognize myself." I leaned towards the mirror to get a better look. My eyes had pretty blue glitter around them, and my lips were painted red.

"You need a name. Like mine, Electra Moon. We need to think about it," she said, walking over to open a case. It was full of shiny, glittery things, just like what she and the other girls wore. She held up a pink and an orange, and I pointed to the orange. She nodded.

"Okay, babe, take your clothes off. I have a bikini top and thong that'll be perfect for you."

I disrobed until I was naked. When she turned back, she stared and said, "Wow, wow." She put her hands on her hips. "Holy hell. I'm a D. You must be DD. You're going to rake it in just because of that rack."

She tied it behind and around my neck. I looked down, and the tiny triangles barely covered my nipples. For a fleeting moment, I thought about backing out. I stepped into the thong, and she straightened it at my hips.

"I couldn't walk in those shoes," I said.

"I have some that are not so high you can try. Not that anyone is going to notice your shoes," she laughed. "You're a knockout, darlin'."

"Thank you." I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize myself. I'd never seen myself naked in a mirror and was nearly naked in this outfit.

A​ profound sense of liberation washed over me as if a heavy weight was finally lifted off my shoulders. The life I had known within those walls seemed dim and limiting, but ​here and now, everything burst with vibrant colors and possibilities. I was immediately drawn to ​Coral, and the circumstances of our meeting​ and what she was to my Father became irrelevant​. It was as if a hidden part of me had awakened, and in Coral's presence, I felt a profound sense of self-discovery and acceptance.

"Oh, your hair, it'll look better if you let it down," Coral said​, looking at the tightly pinned knot at the back of my head. Encouraged by her suggestion, I reached behind me and carefully unpinned the hair, letting the toffee and honey-colored strands cascade down to my knees. Her awe-filled expression made my heart flutter with a newfound appreciation for something that had been a daily hassle until now.

"When was the last time you had it cut?" Coral inquired, her fingers gently grazing the soft strands.

"Never," I replied, feeling ​a shiver run through me as she ran her fingers through my hair.

"God, it's gorgeous," she gasped, her fingers delicately brushing through my hair. Her touch felt like a tender caress, igniting a ​fire within me that I had never experienced.

"Let me brush it for you," she offered, and I eagerly ​nodded. I didn't want this sensation to stop.

A pleasant sensation washed over me as she brushed through the thick strands. ​My senses were on high alert, the chattering of the dancers preparing for their sets, the scent of makeup, lotions, and perfume.

Previously, I had been excited about my decision. But now, doubt crept in as I watched the seasoned ​dancers move gracefully across the stage​, appealing to each man there. What was I thinking? I didn't even know​ how to dance​. Men wouldn't look at plain me. Nervousness set in for the first time, and I wondered if I had made a mistake stepping into this unfamiliar world​.

Coral walked off stage, the bills clasped in her hand. "Kill em' baby," she said, kissing me on the cheek.

The music started, and the first amateur walked out and began her dance. She was more experienced, and they began to holler and shout as soon as she walked out. Bills hit the runway.

She walked back and said, "Good luck, honey!"

My music started. I sucked in a breath and strutted out, leaving Zara of the Divine Church of Light behind. The building went wild. I could barely hear the music. The bills were flying onto the runway.

I crouched down and went through a series of moves like Coral did on her first set, then crawled to the edge.

"Show us those titties, baby!"

"Holy shit, how big are you?"

"Are those real?"

"Oh, baby... That hair."

I was on my hands and knees, and my breasts swayed, which brought a roar. I turned and, in the background, saw Coral standing in front of my Father, his hands on her breasts. She was gyrating her hips into him. She gave me the thumbs up.

I found it exciting seeing them together. Magnus looked relaxed, happy, and sexy, and I'd never thought of him that way. His eyes were locked on me, watching every move I made.

I crawled and slithered down each side of the runway. My hair trailed and flipped from side to side, my breasts swinging with every move.

"Shake them titties for us, baby!"

"Let me suck on those monsters!"

"I'm first up for a lap dance, sweetheart!"

I strutted back the runway while the bouncer gathered the bills and handed them to me.

"Nice job. You're the big moneymaker tonight," he said, smiling.

I went to find Coral and Magnus. She left, having to do a few lap dances. Amateurs weren't allowed, although they'd been requesting me.

"Well, what did you think, Zara?"

I looked up at Magnus. His voice was different. He looked at me differently.

"I feel like another person." You seem like another person.

"You're gorgeous, daughter." I shivered at his words. "Are you cold in that?" He pulled me against him.

My Father had never been one for touching. Never hugging or kissing. I hadn't ever seen him and Orla kiss or hug.

I snugged into his embrace, and he kissed me on the forehead. "I hardly recognize you."

"I didn't recognize myself," I smiled up at him.

"Let's sit down." He pulled me onto his lap. I felt a little thrill run through me. I leaned back against him, and he put his arm around me. More amateurs came onto the stage and began to dance.

"They're beautiful," I said.

"You think so?" His fingers grazed my midriff in a most arousing way.

"Not as beautiful as Coral," I admitted.

"You like her, do you?"

I looked back at him. "I do." He shifted and moaned softly. "Are you okay?" His silver hair glittered in the colored lights, and I reached up to stroke the thick wavy length. It was down and reached below his shoulders. His beard showed the day's growth, and I petted his face with my fingertips. His lips opened with a quick breath.

"Yes, can you feel what you did to me?" I felt his hardness against my butt. I heard enough around the enclave that I wasn't in the dark. I wiggled, and he moaned louder. He looked down. "I never knew you had those under those dresses."

"We are required to wear them," I pointed out.

"Yes, for this very reason. The men wouldn't take their eyes off you. Probably even some of the women."

"Do you like them?" I liked the idea that I was pleasing him. I don't think I've ever felt that before.

"I do, yes. Very much." He hefted one in his hand and moaned, "This isn't the time nor place." His thumb slipped behind the orange sequined triangle and rubbed my nipple hard. I felt a tingle between my legs and squirmed again as he did it. He sighed and leaned back in the chair.

"To touch me?"

"Yes, to touch you. I want to but not now. Not here." He looked at me. "Because I want you to touch me too." I nodded agreeably but had no idea of what to do. As though he read my mind, he said, "I'll show you what I like. And you can show me what you like."

"I have no idea what I like, Magnus." I felt an intensity in my body that I did need something, but what I did not know. I felt anxious yet excited all at once. The pressure of his hardness between my legs only lit up my excitement. I rocked, and after a moment, he held my hips to stop me.

"Not yet," he smiled. "My daughter is learning much tonight. You will put it to use soon."

Coral finally returned. The place was empty but for a man sweeping the floor, and she told me she was taking me and Magnus back with her.

She took her bikini off and said, "Come on, we need to shower to get this makeup off."

She untied my top and worked my thong down. She piled my hair on my head and tied it up. I forgot Magnus was there and turned. His eyes were fiery. I'd seen the look before. I thrust my chest a little more, and his eyes locked mine.

"Want to watch us, sweetheart," Coral said, winking. He followed us to the open shower and watched as she soaped up a sponge and washed me with it. We washed our makeup off, and she washed the spray and glitter out of her red locks.

She turned me towards Magnus and reached around me to soap my breasts, down to my belly, and between my legs.

"She has a bush, baby," Coral said, and he groaned. "They liked it a lot out there too." I didn't think they could see that around the front of the thong, but it must be okay.

"Coral," he said in a warning voice.

She whispered in my ear. "I think Dad thinks you're sexy."

"Mmm," was all I could say because I was enjoying the feel of her hands on me.

We dressed, and Coral locked the back door. I waited for Magnus while he kissed Coral. His hands were on her butt, pulling her against him. He pushed into her, and I heard them both moaning. I knew they would typically spend time together and felt terrible about changing their plans, but I would not have changed a thing.

Coral approached me, held me around the waist, and pulled me into her. She smiled, her lips against mine, "I hope you come back to see me again sometime. We still need to come up with a name for you." She pressed her lips against mine, our breasts crushed together. The first kiss I'd ever had made my body tingle. I wanted more. I wasn't sure what, but I needed more.

Coral stepped back. "Kiss her, Magnus."

"Coral...."

"Kiss her."

Obediently my Father pulled me against him and kissed me. I gasped, and he moaned, pulling me tighter and rocking his hips into me. The hardness thumped against me. He groaned in my mouth, his tongue searching my mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing my breasts into him., trying to relieve the aching. With one last squeeze of my butt, he stepped back.

"Very hot," she said softly.

We drove back and went to the community center to switch clothing. I undressed and waited naked until he retrieved my dress, bra, and pants.

"Zara, you have granted me the great privilege of seeing your gorgeous body."

I smiled, raised my arms, and let the dress float around me. I kept the panties and bra in my hand.

"Thank you. Thank you for taking me with you. For Coral. For letting me find me."

He acted as though he would kiss me again but quickly turned away.

"We must go. Be quiet when you go into the house."

.

A week passed, during which time I set up lessons for the younger ones, cut fabric for new dresses for the women and tended to the bountiful summer gardens this year. The sect made their money to survive by selling vegetables to surrounding markets and restaurants. Few left the enclave, but the delivery went out daily.

Summer was our time in Tiberius Springs. Summer brought more beautiful rituals, and this summer was even more special because of the coming lunar eclipse or Blood Moon. The Blessing of the Waters was today. During the hottest summer days, Magnus performs a ritual to honor the sacred springs of Tiberius. Members offer prayers of gratitude and purification, and a procession is held to the springs, where they collect water blessed by the Moonlight during the previous night.

There was nothing to force the followers to stay. It was not a cult, and we could all leave anytime. But leaving meant leaving loved ones, our family. Almost everyone was content to stay in the confines of Tiberius Springs: everyone but me.

"Zara, meet me in my study in an hour."

"Yes, sir," I said, not looking up from tending to the last row of carrots.

I passed Orla on her way to the community center and, precisely an hour later, tapped on my Father's door.

"Come in."

He went to the door and locked it. "I don't expect to be bothered by anyone, but in this case, privacy is paramount."

I hadn't talked to my Father more than a few words here and there since the night I danced. I am still determining whether he has been to visit Coral. I know that his demeanor was the same as before that night.