Istanza

If one of the priests caught her then she would be in heaps of trouble. Perhaps she would be killed; perhaps she would be sent to another Istanza's dungeon, to live as Koda once again, to be worked and punished. Nobody could do that to her girl, her little lady. Silra belonged to her, her heart belonged to Silra. If anything like that were to happen to her...

Leeann rolled over, her suddenly hot skin cooled by the icy silk sheets. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, invisible in the absolute darkness. She imagined herself crying fury at Silra's capture, going on a rampage, beating and shackling half the palace into submission with her collection of whips and restraints as she hunted for Silra, arriving in the nick of time to save her from Danielle's blade. She imagined a brutal fight, with punches and kicks and nails to the eyes; she imagined defeating Danielle with a blow from her fist, grabbing her blonde hair and smashing her unconscious face repeatedly into the ground in blind rage, while Silra looked on and cried from her restraints.

She imagined picking herself up, totally exhausted, Danielle nothing but a limp heap of skin and bones and blood barely contained in black leather, a dead husk that had once been her colleague and rival. She imagined staggering to Silra, beginning to unfasten her bonds, but giving up when she saw the look of love on Silra's face, falling into her, kissing her lips, holding her, devouring her, embracing her, crying with her, crying into her.

She imagined a sound at the door.

She sat up quickly, held her breath. Was that the hint of a movement in the absolute darkness? Was that a subtle breath of cold air? Was that a sound?

She gasped in sudden surprise as the bed shifted.

"Shhh, shhh, it's only me!" A gentle voice whispered into her ear. "I'm back. I've got a battery."

Leeann let out a long breath as her racing heart slowed. "You scared the hell out of me." She panted. "I didn't hear you come in. You move like a cat!"

"I'm sorry." Silra whispered, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Come on, let me hold you, go back to sleep. You're shaking."

"I'm cold." Leeann said flatly.

"Hold me."

Leeann obeyed, felt her nerves returning to somewhere near their normal level, or at least to what should pass for normal during these last few weeks. She slipped an arm around Silra's neck, placed the other hand on her waist. She was cold, but then she had been prowling around outside for hours. "You've been gone ages. What time did you leave?"

"I didn't check." Silra replied. "I wasn't gone that long. What time is it?"

"Gone half three. I should sleep, I have to be up soon."

"I'm sorry I woke you. I tried to keep quiet."

"I woke up before you got back. I was worried about you, it was getting so late I thought something might have happened to you."

"What time did you wake up?"

"Oh, only about ten minutes ago."

"Oh, OK."

"What do you mean, OK?"

"Nothing." Silra placed her hand on Leeann's head, ran her fingers through her hair. Shivers ran down her spine at Silra's touch. She loved to have her hair played with, she loved to have her scalp massaged, and Silra knew just how to do it. Such a special little lady.

"I love you." Leeann whispered, as she felt waves of sleep and relaxation wash over her. She curled into Silra's warming body, shivered at the delightful sensations from her scalp.

"I love you too. Go to sleep."

* * *

"Leeann..." Silra mumbled, in a voice distant enough to turn Leeann away from sorting her dirty leather clothes from her clean ones to look at her. She sat on the bed, computer on her lap, staring at it with her mouth slightly open. "Leeann, I think we've got something."

Leeann dropped a pair of shorts onto the stone floor and walked across the room, a shiver running involuntarily up her spine. "What have you got?"

"It's a response to my ad. Looks like a good one."

"How can you tell? It's only been two days."

"Just trust me. I think it's what we've been looking for."

"Well alright, but..." Leeann's voice trailed off. She trusted Silra – they loved each other, and that dictated a kind of unconditional trust – but she wasn't sure how much experience Silra had in these circles. Leeann had done this before, she knew what to look for. What did Silra know about it? "Tell me about it."

"My name is Etienne." Silra read from the screen. "I have worked on Krakus for many years, and I have good knowledge of the major cities and of the surrounding systems. I am well-connected with various transport pilots, both affiliated and freelance. I am unaffiliated and can undertake new work within the next fourteen days. If you are looking for transport off-world with possible re-integration into the inner systems then I may be able to help you. I look forward to hearing from you."

"Do you know what that means?" Leeann asked in reply. Unaffiliated – that meant that he did not work for any of the syndicates that permeated the underworld of Krakus like fungal threads, or at least so he claimed.

Silra nodded. Leeann wondered how she knew so much of the Krakus underworld, but she knew not to ask. It was too sore a subject for Silra to deal with and Leeann didn't think it was worth pushing her just to satisfy her curiosity. It could wait until they were far away from Krakus, had tipped off the authorities about the Sect, and had started their new life together, wherever it might be.

If the contact turned out to be any good, that is.

Maybe it was because she didn't know Silra's background, or didn't trust that she was experienced enough; maybe it was simply because the fixer had replied to Silra's ad and not hers; whichever it was, Leeann could not stop feelings of doubt invading her mind. It sounded like the sort of thing they were looking for, but...

She sat herself carefully on the bed, put an arm around Silra's back.

"Looking over my shoulder?" Silra purred silkily.

"I trust you, my sweet." Leeann replied, planted a delicate kiss on Silra's cheek. "I just wanted to be closer to you."

"Aww, how sweet are you?"

Leeann said nothing for a while, then pulled herself back to the subject in hand. "Are you going to reply, or do you want me to do it?"

"I'll handle it." Silra said.

"Alright. But remember that we'll need clean passports, we'll need direct transport to at least five systems distance from here, and we'll need passage through the Outer Court."

"No, don't worry about that, I've got that covered." Silra said distantly as she began to tap at the keys again.

"Got what covered?"

"The Outer Court. I can get you through there. We'll have to go in the early hours of the morning, and you'll have to promise to follow my lead."

"Alright... Well, alright, but we'll need someone to transport us down to the city. It's a long walk, and it's cold. And we'll need civilian clothes, several changes, and luggage bags. Something comfortable and easy to carry."

"Alright. Don't worry. I'll have it all sorted."

"And don't give away too much. Don't tell him any names, or tell him how much we've got to spend."

"I don't know how much we've got to spend."

"Yes, but don't tell him..."

"Can you just let me do this, please?"

Leeann sighed, turned away. "I just thought you might want my help, since I've done this before." She felt Silra's soft hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me, please. I can get us off this planet." She said softly.

"Alright."

"Tell me what you want to do to me when you've got me somewhere private." Silra added, her voice heavy with dreamy laziness.

"What I want to do to you?"

"Yes. I'm sure you've got all sorts of things you're dying to do to me once we're settled properly on our own."

"Hmm..." Leeann purred. She reclined onto the bed, pulled a pillow behind her head and stretched. Of course, Silra was right. There were all kinds of fantasies that she had played out in her head, fantasies that could only be realised once they were away from the palace and in control of their own lives. "Well, I've really wanted to use a vibrator on you."

"Really?"

"It sounds silly, but... It's a big fantasy of mine. I want to start it off nice and slow up on your belly, then slowly move it down between your legs. I want to look into your eyes as it touches your clit, and then I'm going to slowly turn it up, keeping it pressed on your clit the whole time. I'm going to turn it up so slowly that you won't even notice. And then, when you think you're going to come, I'm going to turn it up so high that you cream yourself."

"Mistress..." Silra mewed. "The way you said that, I think I'm about to... I really love vibrators."

"You do?"

"Before I came here, my pocket vibe was my best friend. Actually, if I didn't have you, I'd really miss it."

"And you seemed so good with just your hands."

"I know, I can still get by without it, if I have to, but it's nice to be lazy sometimes."

"I want to watch you make yourself come with a vibrator. As soon as we're somewhere private I'll get you one."

"How do you want me to do it?"

Leeann sat up and scooted behind Silra, nosed her brown hair aside and kissed her neck gently. "I want you to kneel on the bed. I want you to bend over and put it between your legs, and I'm going to kneel beside you and put my hand right here." She slid her hand under Silra's silk shift, found the little puffy bulge of flesh where her belly met her curls. "I'll be able to feel the vibrations buzzing through your flesh, and when you come, I'll feel all your muscles tense up."

"What will you be doing, Mistress?"

Leeann licked Silra's earlobe slowly, sucked it between her teeth and nipped it gently. "I'll be playing with myself." She purred. "I'll be playing along with you. I'll be on the edge just watching you, and when you come, I'll let myself go and we can come together."

"Mistress, you make it sound so romantic."

"It will be. There'll be stars in the sky, and waves crashing onto the beech, and a gentle breeze blowing through the window, but you'll forget all of that when the vibrations take you."

Silra turned, found Leeann's lips, kissed them momentarily. "You've got this all thought out, haven't you?"

Leeann smiled. "Thinking about you keeps me going through the day."

"Got any more fantasies you want to share with me?"

"Maybe sometime... Haven't you finished that reply yet?"

"Well somebody keeps distracting me." Silra said, cleared her throat mockingly, took a melodramatic breath and returned her focus to the screen. "Must write reply, must forget burning desire between legs."

"You're so sweet. I love you. Hurry up and finish that reply, I want to worship your body before I go to sleep."

"That's a relief, after listening to your fantasies I'm only a few steps away from worshipping it myself!"

Leeann laughed, tried to swallow back the giddy arousal in her chest. This was so much more than just sexual desire. That was easy to achieve, but this – this romantic conjoining, this elementary one-ness that she felt with Silra... She had not found that before. Nothing quite like this, nothing where every word she said only fuelled Silra's desire and every reply Silra gave fuelled hers. When they were together they were like arsonists pouring fuel onto one another, each one's flame making the other's burn stronger, until they were both engulfed in the explosion of their entwined passion.

Nobody had ever made her feel like this.

Oh, there had been other girlfriends, back before she was Koda, before she had gotten lost and ended up in the Sect's ancient palace. There had been other girlfriends, other sex games, other kinky conversations and professions of love, but it had not been like this. It had not felt so natural.

Was it possible that she was starting to believe in the One?

"Right, finished!"

"And not a moment too soon..." Leeann purred, pulling Silra backwards as the computer slipped to the floor. She stared down at her face, upside-down, kissed her lips, pulled open her shift, let her kisses walk upwards slowly, over her chin, along her neck, between her breasts, making a slow but direct beeline across her navel to that puffy mound under her curls.

She loved that mound, and she loved what it revealed, when it was nudged aside with her nose and she was rewarded with the heady scent of Silra's glistening heat. She took it between her lips, let out a sigh as she felt Silra's lips do the same to her.

Tonight they could come together, she thought, as she buried her face between Silra's legs and let her tongue seek out a rhythm against the growing writhing gyrations from her hips. Tonight they needed no vibrators, no whips and shackles, no mistress and slave play. Tonight they were just two girls in love, worshipping one another, making love to one another, in the way nature had intended.

Tonight, like almost every other night in Silra's company, would be a night worthy of remembering.

* * *

More days passed. Etienne replied, and Leeann even managed to read some of his replies over Silra's shoulder without her lodging any complaints. The man seemed to know what he was talking about, and seemed confident that he could get them away from Krakus, for a fee as yet undisclosed. That was the only worry. Although there was enough money in the account to cover all but the highest priced fixer, Leeann was still prepared to drive a hard bargain. They would need money in the bank once they got to their destination, if they were going to change identities a second time and find somewhere to lie low. It may be some time before they could find work again, so they would have to make whatever they had last between them as best they could.

Leeann kept up her act, she kept her Koda in line and gave them all the attention that she could manage, all the attention that she hoped the Sect thought necessary. She did not notice the high priests watching at her, nor did she notice any undue attention from the other Istanza. Danielle kept her distance, and things were as close to normal as possible.

Plans were laid, funds were transferred. Silra made a few midnight trips to the Outer Court and beyond to pick up their clothing and make personal contact with the driver that had been hired to take them from the palace to the city. The clothing was hidden under the bed; Leeann would have been happier for them to have got changed in the car after escaping past the Outer Court, but Silra insisted it would be easier for the clothes to be brought inside first. Civilian clothing might make Leeann's footsteps and creaky strides quieter than her leather clothes and heeled boots normally allowed, but they would stand out in the palace if they were seen. The clothing was however warm and dark, ideal for a midnight trek through the palace and its grounds.

Eventually the penultimate night arrived. There was only one full day to go, and nothing more to do but wait. Leeann found herself nervous and excited; intensely excited about getting away from what had become a painful act, a living hell, to starting a new life with someone she loved from the bottom of her heart, and yet unavoidably worried at the risks involved. What if someone entered her room and found the clothes or the computer? What if some midnight ceremony was scheduled for the time that they had chosen to leave? What if Etienne had taken their pre-payment and run, or the driver ran into trouble on the mountains? What if it went wrong, and Leeann had to spend the rest of her life in the palace, putting on an act and punishing innocent women in order to keep herself and her true love alive?

She lay in the bed, staring at the far wall. Silra breathed slowly behind her, unmoving. On and off throughout the passing hours she had considered waking her for a comforting embrace or some words of reassurance, but she knew it would not be fair on Silra. This time tomorrow they'd hopefully be on their way out of the palace. Silra needed her rest, it was unfair to wake her.

Seconds ticked past, became minutes, mutated slowly into hours. The wall crawled in the darkness; there was a full moon, but a thick cloud cover turned the light to a pale wash that barely lit the cracks in the stone walls. Shapes swam indistinctly over the irregular blocks, like fat spider bodies running over their uneven surface. Leeann even considered lighting her dying torch to investigate a few big dark spots that she was sure were not present an hour ago, but they disappeared when she blinked, reappeared later elsewhere once her tired eyes had dried again.

Insomnia had never bothered her before Silra had come into her life, but Silra brought a host of new concerns with her. This looked like it was going to be one of those long, sleepless nights. Nothing to do but wait for the sunrise and another hard day's pretence before a quick sleep, and then away to a new life. Not long to wait.

Then there was a noise. It was subtle, indistinct, but a definite noise, from under the bed. Leeann tensed, but remained still. She felt the bed rock almost imperceptibly, heard the quietest pat of Silra's feet on the stone floor. Silra really could move like a cat when she wanted! If she hadn't been awake already she'd never have noticed. She remained motionless, listening intently, wondering what Silra was up to.

There was the slightest rustling, and then the tiniest whisper, a mere slice of a voice.

"What?" Silra's near-silent voice said. She paused, as if awaiting a reply. Leeann thought of giving one, but felt somehow that Silra wasn't talking to her. She stared at the wall, listened harder still. "Now? Why now?"

There was another long pause. "She might notice." Silra whispered. "Alright, I'll take one more recon. Now leave me alone."

There was another rustle, and then nothing. No rocking of Silra climbing back into bed, no padding of feet towards the lavatory by the shower. There was nothing, until the slightest wash of cold air from the direction of the door.

Leeann froze for a second, then sat up. "Silra?" She whispered, but there was no reply. "Silra?" She tried louder. "Silra, are you here?"

She felt her way into the drawer, grabbed her torch, shone its dying orange beam around the room. She was alone. Silra had gone.

Leeann sank back into the bed, her heart suddenly in her throat. Where could Silra have gone? Who could she have been talking to?

She sat up again, moved across to Silra's side of the bed, shone the torch onto the floor, fumbled under the bed. She found the clothes that they were going to wear on their escape, felt around among them until her hand closed on something solid and square, the size of her palm. She pulled it out, held it under the beam of the torch.

It was a portable phone, long-range inter-systems type.

What was Silra doing with a portable phone?

Presumably it had been given to her along with the clothes, but why hadn't she mentioned it? And why was it switched on, when its ringing tone could have alerted anyone in that part of the palace to its prohibited presence? Most importantly, why was Silra waking up to take calls on it?

Leeann thrust it back under the bed and turned off the torch, rolled over and slammed her head into the pillow, folded her arms across her bare chest and let out a rapid breath. Something was going on that she wasn't party to, and she didn't know why – she was supposed to be the experienced one, she was supposed to be getting them out of the palace. Silra had taken charge and rushed ahead, bright but headstrong little girl, making decisions without consulting. Leeann wasn't sure whether she was more angry or hurt at being left out – it wasn't that she didn't trust Silra, but surely her trust was returned? Surely Silra would trust her to know the full extent of the plans? Then why hadn't they been shared?