Pagan

"Do you remember much about your childhood?" she asked.

"Some of it," he replied.

"Do you remember that time we stayed at the beach and the beach hut your parents rented?"

A momentary smile flitted across Richard's face. "Yes, I remember."

"And do you remember how shameless I was, stripping of in front of you."

"That I've never forgotten," Richard said emphatically.

"Your parents would have gone berserk if they'd know I'd done that."

"Yes, I suppose they would have," Richard grinned.

"Do you know why I did it?"

"Well, I suppose you...I suppose it just happened; we were changing and you..."

"It didn't just happen, Richard, I wanted you to see me, remember, I asked you if you thought I looked pretty and you said yes."

"Well, I loved you and I suppose most people we love look pretty. We see them through our love."

I'll tell you why I did it Richard; my body was changing and I was very uncertain. You were very young but..."

"Five," Richard intervened.

"Yes, but I thought if I could show myself to you and if you liked what you saw I'd be reassured."

"You should have shown yourself to an older boy, he'd have appreciated what he saw."

"No Richard, I wanted it to be you. You know, I often wished you'd been older...old enough for us to show how much we loved each other."

"It's strange," Richard said, "since then I've sometimes wished I'd been older, especially after you held me close to you."

"Have you really, Richard?"

"Yes."

"I would have shown you my love if I could have."

"You mean...?"

"Yes; do you remember saying that we were going to be a mummy and a daddy?"

Richard smiled awkwardly, "You say those sorts of things when you're a kid."

"But Richard, those sorts of words spoken by a child are often the sincerest – perhaps the sincerest they'll ever speak."

"Yes, I'm sure I meant them at the time, but of course, I didn't understand the barrier – being aunt and nephew."

"Richard, there are no barriers if we don't want there to be. If you'd have been old enough I wouldn't have hesitated to give you my love fully and unreservedly."

Richard laughed ruefully. "To think of what I missed just because I wasn't old enough."

"You're old enough now Richard," Pagan said, looking at him steadily, "and I still love you, and I believe you still love me."

Not daring to look at her Richard said, "Yes, I do."

Pagan stood, and pushing the narrow straps that held her dress up, she let the dress slither down her body to the floor. She stood naked before him

"You see," she said softly, "I'm still shameless. Do you think I look pretty?"

Richard was tongue tied for several seconds before he managed to say in a strangled voice, "You're beautiful."

"Then why don't you undress and let me hold you close."

Without waiting for him to begin she started to remove his shirt, followed by his jeans. When he was naked she pulled her body close to his. This time his head did not rest against her breasts, they now pressed against his chest, warm and firm.

"Come with me," Pagan said, and led him into the garden. Under a full moon she raised her arms and began to chant,

Great Goddess, Mistress of cats/ Lady of love, beautiful Goddess/ Fulfill our greatest needs, O glorious one/ Teach us the magic we need/ Give us a glimpse of your deep wisdom/ Teach us in dreams. Enrich our lives/ Make us one in love and fidelity/ Let his seed fertilize me so that I may bring forth progeny/ Lady of love, beautiful Goddess.

She kissed Richard, and said, "We are one now my lover, let us confirm our love."

She kissed him again, their kiss growing more fervent as they stood there in the garden,

Pagan transfixed herself on Richard's manhood gripping his length firmly with her vaginal muscle. And then as if in some sacred act, and looking into each other's eyes, they brought each other to climax – a strangely quiet climax, accompanied only by the sounds of their deep breathing.

Afterwards they stood for a long time, Richard's penis in Pagan's vagina, and still gazing deep into each other's yes. Richard now had no doubts about what he had to do.

* * * * * * * *

By the time Richard was due to return to the city he was ready for the confrontation he knew must occur.

It went as he expected; his father stormed and his mother wept. It would have been sufficient to have told them he would not be continuing with his law studies, but that he was going to live with Pagan as her lover added fuel to an already raging conflagration.

"She's seduced him....she's seduced him..." his mother wailed, and his father talked of incest and police, but knew that this was an empty threat since Richard was well beyond the age of consent.

When they finally saw that there was nothing they could say or do to deter Richard from his chosen course they calmed down a little, but the three of them still parted unreconciled.

This began to change after Pagan gave birth to their first child. For Richard's mother it was too much that she should not see her grandchild. The first time she went alone to Bungaloo not knowing what she would find. What she found was a place of peace and love and her son looking fitter than he'd ever looked.

Almost converted to rural life herself his mother returned with her report. In time his father became reconciled to the situation and he in turn visited Pagan and Richard and made the acquaintance of his grandchild.

I do not think that they have ever come to completely accept the relationship between Pagan and Richard, but as his mother would say somewhat ambiguously, "There was always something odd between those two, even when Richard was a kid."

For those interested, Sif remains a loyal follower of Richard; Odin ignores him and Loki is still his sworn enemy.

* * * * * * * *

"For Freyja whispers her spells in my ear.
Freyja, Queen of the Valkyries, stands at my side."

(Chant to Freyja)