Magic, Myth and Mysteries

Before and After: Sisters of Fate, Part One - Jayleigh Wright

Before and After: Sisters of Fate

Part One

This is her only chance. The mating festival occurs once every century. It is only on that day that Jupiter will choose a human to bear his child so that his seed is represented throughout the earth. He has done this for millenia, watching his offspring spread his traits throughout the earth. When those traits begin to become infinitesimal, another festival occurs. Women from every corner of the world come, hoping to be chosen to bear the child of Jupiter because the woman chosen is then revered by society as being the greatest among women.

Oh, but this festival will be different. At least, she hopes it’ll be different. For years, she tried to conceive a child. For millennia, she was bedded by Neptune, only to later find out that he had blocked her ability to conceive. He had never wanted to have a child with her. When she discovered his treachery, she left him to find someone with whom she could fall in love and have a family. She had a few fellow gods as suiters, but never had she been impregnated. Hoping that she would be able to produce a child with a human as Jupiter has done so successfully, she spent years seducing men, even loving them, but never did she bear a child and her heart could no longer take the void that this left within it. Rather than allowing the pain to consume her, she has decided to convince Jupiter himself to choose her to bear his child.

This would be no minor task. She knew that if she were to be found out, Jupiter would end her existence as a goddess. Misleading Jupiter, the king of the gods, would take skill and finesse. Carefully, she brewed her potions, her incantations delivered perfectly. As the festivities began, she downed the potions and stood before her mirror to watch as her body transformed. Slowly, her iridescent skin became a rich golden-brown, her hair of light became physical and as black as obsidian, and her eyes made up of the crashing waves of the ocean solidified to the almost jewel-like blue irises of a human. It was the perfect mixture to allure Jupiter! She had been meticulous in gathering the data to figure out exactly what allured him. The only drawback of the spell is that her child, though a god, will appear human if she becomes pregnant while the potion is still within her, but this did not concern her. Quickly, she grabbed a gown of the sheerest sky blue silk and slid it over her body before dashing out of the small hut.

People were everywhere, dancing, drinking, eating the finest of foods. The music is loud, and the people are louder. Shouts of jubilation and laughter fill the ears of all. Unlike other festivals, the food is prepared and served by the men, while women play music and dance in an attempt to catch the eye of Jupiter who is hidden amongst them, disguised as a human man walking among them unnoticed. Each woman will dance and make a show of her body, attempting to appear as perfect and strong as possible; but that will be their downfall. Jupiter has a secret that she has observed over the years: he finds himself drawn to the one woman who does not attempt to seek attention, the humblest maiden present. As the women continue their dancing, she finds a spot near the edge of the festival and stands there to observe them all.

“Excuse me, but I need to pass,” a man says to her. She dips her head submissively and steps back to allow the man to pass. After he passes, he stops and turns back toward her to ask, “Are you not dancing today?”

“I am not, as I fear I may misstep in front of the great god Jupiter. I could not possibly recover from insulting his eyes in such a manner.” She uses her hands to smooth down her gown in hopes that if Jupiter looks her way, he will see her as a humble woman.

“If you do not catch the eye of Jupiter, will you do me the honor of meeting me after the festival?”

She looks up at the man through her eyelashes and gives him a kind smile, “That would be lovely. Thank you, kind sir. Do you need assistance in carrying your bundles?”

“No, but thank you for your offer,” he said through a pleased smile, then nodded to her and strolled away. For a moment, she admires his build and walk as he leaves. If Jupiter does not choose her, she may end up meeting this handsome stranger after all.

The festivities continued, and the people were delighted to watch the women perform. She knew she could outdance each one, but her perfection was not what Jupiter craved, nor would it hide her identity. As the sun began to set, a loud horn was blown, signaling the woman to line up before the temple. Each woman will have to walk before Jupiter and state her name. She puts herself at the end of the line.

One by one, each woman steps up in front of Jupiter, hoping to catch his attention. Each one says her name, some in a song-like voice, others with boldness. The air thick with desperation and anticipation. The most beautiful women have pranced and preened before him; yet, Jupiter has yet to stop the procession.

Finally, she steps before the god. His head nearly grazes the ceiling of the monumental temple. His humanoid body is made up of pure energy, lighting the temple and surrounding area. His eyes are fire, and his hair a gathering of stars that are each the soul of a woman he had previously chosen, taken with him everywhere so that he may call upon them when he needed intimacy. His appearance is overwhelming, yet his voice is smooth and deep with a hint of kindness as he speaks.

"What is your name?" He asks as she stands before him.

"I am just Cia, my lord," she says quietly. It wasn’t an outright lie as “Cia” had been a childhood nickname.

"And why are you the last?"

"I did not want to waste your time by coming before your chosen, my lord," she answers, bowing her head.

"Cia, your willingness to serve shall be rewarded. You shall bear my child and be regarded as the highest among humans. Come to me as the others depart," he croons.

Many of the women standing by begin weeping as they gather themselves to leave the temple. Part of her does feel bad for them, but she also knows that in their short lives, they will not have to shoulder disappointment for long like she has. She does her best to keep her face turned to the ground, acting every part the humble human. When she reaches the top stair in front of the throne, she drops to her knees, stretches her arms out before her, and presses her forehead to the ground.

“I am yours to serve your needs, my lord,” she says shakily, her nerves surfacing due to the fear that he will see past her potions and spells and realize that she is not human.

“Do not fear! I will take on the form of a human before I lay with you,” Jupiter reassures her, chuckling a bit. He whispers his spells, then reaches his hand down to take hers and lift her to face him.

As she drags her eyes up his human form, she recognizes him as the attractive man working in the festival who had spoken to her early. Jupiter makes note of her recognition as her expression reveals it.

“I wasn’t just leading you on earlier today, Cia. I had fully intended on spending the evening with you,” his voice is full of amusement as he beams a beautiful smile at her. She hears the priest lock the doors, and turns to find the room empty. “Are you nervous?” He asks.

“I only fear that I will not please you as much as I wish to,” she replies. It is not a lie, because her fear is that not even Jupiter can create life within her womb.

“You have nothing to fear, dear Cia. I am far more patient than humans believe, and I have no qualms about teaching you exactly how to please me,” he promises. Something in his tone causes her to swoon, her desire now evident. Never had she expected such a reaction of her heart and body!

“Have you eaten?” He inquires. When she replies that she had not, he escorts her behind his throne into the dining hall used by the priests. There, they find tables laden with a variety of foods and many bottles of sweet wine. “May I prepare a plate for you, Cia?”

“My lord, it is I who should serve you!” She gasps.

“Dear Cia, I find joy in serving my mistresses before I partake of their bodies. Please allow me this honor.”

She bows her head in submission before taking a seat. Jupiter gathers foods he believes would be ideal for her health and strength and brings them to her. He kneels before her and begins to feed her by hand. Never would she have expected such treatment by Jupiter! And to think, in his mind, she is but a human! This act alone draws her heart to him in a way she had never wanted. She is here to be able to have a child, not to fall in love with Jupiter.

“Tell me, Cia, what do you dream about?” He asks as he lifts a flute of sweet wine to her lips.

“I dream of becoming a mother, but I do not think it will be possible. That is my greatest fear, my lord. And if it becomes my reality, I ask that you end my existence so that I may not bear the pain of disappointment for the rest of my life,” her words are thick with emotion as tears slide down her cheeks.

He raises his hand to her face, wiping her tears with his thumb. “I will not allow you to be disappointed, Cia.” His words are strong, making his promise feel more personal than she expected. Without thinking, she raises her own hand to press his palm more firmly to her cheek. She tentatively looks into his eyes, allowing the strength in them to encourage her own hope. He turns his hand over so that they are now palm to palm, and he takes her hand in his.

“Are you finished eating, Cia?”

“Yes,” she breathes out, barely audible.

“Come with me,” he gently commands. Her body obeys his directive, standing from her seat, her feet stepping alongside his without prompting. Jupiter leads them to a large handleless door with a carving of him in his god-state on it. He raises his hand and places it in the center of the carving’s chest. The carving begins to glow, the wood becomes animate, and she watches as the carving reaches down and opens the door. The enchantment must be in place to keep all out except for Jupiter himself.

As they enter the room, she takes note of everything. A massive bed is in the center of the room. It is covered in pillows, silk sheets, and soft blankets. A gold bathtub is in a far corner, presumably for the humans to wash before returning home. The floors are covered in plush rugs. A lavish fireplace is on one wall, the fire already lit, casting its warm glow throughout the room. The wooden items are all crafted from cocobolo, the metals all gold, and every fabric is a lush, deep burgundy. The room is truly fit for a god and would most assuredly be impressive to any human maiden. She imagines most of them would be quite taken with its resplendent decadence.

“Do you think you will be comfortable here, Cia?” Jupiter asks from behind her. He steps closer, placing his hands on each of her shoulders. He is close enough that if she were to barely lean back, she would find her back pressed against him.

“The room is lovely, my lord, but it is of no consequence to me. I am here for you, not for your riches,” she says soothingly.

“Cia, I have never met a woman with your devotion to me before. Even the humblest of women have given in to some form of greed, be it the food or the possessions found in this room. Most could not keep their hands from touching the gold. And here you stand, ready to serve my desires without giving into either temptation,” Jupiter praises.

“My lord, I shared my dream with you. It was not a lie. My dream is to be a mother, and if you are willing to fulfill my dream, you will have my devotion eternally. I will only worship you forever,” her voice cracks as her desperation for a child surfaces.

“Then let me make good on my promise, dear Cia,” he whispers in her ear from behind, then trails his hands down her arms, squeezes both of her hands, and brings his palms to her flat belly. His fingertips gently slide up the edge of her wrapped dress, slipping within that edge and whispering against her skin. Her body reacts instantly, as she takes in deep breaths in an effort to calm the desperate need between her legs. She had heard tales of Venus' son Cupid and his romantic abilities, but in this moment, she believes Jupiter is the true God of love.

He slowly unties the silk belt around her waist with his left hand, then softly lifts the fabric at her shoulders, allowing the sheer, soft silk to drift to the ground like a blue wisp of a cloud, leaving her bare before him. Jupiter reaches his right hand around her body and presses it against her low abdomen. He kisses her neck and whispers an incantation in the language of the gods. A warmth seeps into her skin and fills her belly, causing a trail of tears down each of her cheeks.

This act alone is all she needed. She turns in his arm and brings her hands up behind his neck and pulls his face down to hers. Her lips press to his and she pours herself into the kiss, as if she was baring her soul to him. Her mouth continued to make love to his, her cries of relief, pain, and pleasure filling Jupiter’s ears like the sweetest music he’d ever heard. There was no need to prolong his wooing. He wrapped his second arm around her, sliding both hands down her back and over her supple ass before gripping a thigh in each hand to lift her up against him; never once did he break that kiss.

She leans her head back just enough to speak. “I don’t feel like it is quite fair for me to be the only one undressed, my lord,” she whispers thickly, then takes his bottom lip gently between her teeth.

He chuckles in response. Using his right hand to support her entire bottom, he uses his left hand to untie his pants and steps out of them. She leans back and unbuttons the top button of his shirt, reaches behind his neck, and pulls it up and over his head. She takes just a moment’s pause to appreciate the human form he had chosen to take. His light brown skin is nearly luminous. His muscles are defined, but not bulky, allowing him both strength and maneuverability. His hair looks as soft as rabbit’s fur, in the most beautiful soft brown color. His eyes, though, could capture a soul. Their reddish brown depths promised a passion in which she could not wait to submerge herself.

With her legs wrapped around his low waist, Jupiter carries her to the bed; but rather than lying her back on it, he turns and lies on his back in order to admire the view of this beguiling woman. Her pear-shaped body is perfect for him. Her breasts are just full enough to fill his palms, her hips broader to bear children, and that round full ass is perfect to cushion his hips when he eventually takes her from behind. He already knows just by looking that her skin will be intoxicating. It's her eyes that drive him wild, though. They seem to hold every emotion and knowledge beyond even his own. They both scare and intrigue him. One thing he knows for sure is that he will have to maintain control to not damage her human body.

Jupiter watches as she begins to rock her hips in a gentle grinding motion, dragging herself against his erection, her arousal creating a thin lubrication that only intensifies the pleasure each rock of her hips provides. He slides his hands up her thighs, gripping her hips to increase the pressure. As he gets more worked up, he pushes her hips back so that when she grinds forward next, his length will fully penetrate her.

As he pushes in, the sound from her lips nearly causes him to lose control! A gasp, a groan, and a songlike hum leave her lips blended in such a way that Jupiter will never be able to forget. He fears that without her as his partner singing to his passion in such a way, making love with another will no longer be an option. In all the universe throughout time, he has never felt so bound to another during s*x, and the thought terrifies him.