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In the Gardens of Asherat	By : laila Category: G through L > Kushiel's Trilogy Views: 6000 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Kushiel s Trilogy, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-~One~
- 2-~Two~
- 3-~Three~
- 4-~Four~
- 1
- 2
- 3
~DISCLAIMER~ I don't own any of this.

Ti-Phillipe handed me down into the waiting gondola. It was a short trip to the Stregazza bungalow; a quaint, well appointed space within sight of the great Temple. I caught my breath at the ancient beauty of it. Melisande. I bathed quickly, and dressed in a formal gown designed by my clothier Favrielle; a deceptively simple but elegent creation of woven sangoire silk, the blood-at-midnight shade only anguisettes may wear. The skirt fell in immaculate folds to the floor, and the bodice clung to my upper body, cut just low enough to reveal the barest shadow of my decolletage. Around my neck I wore the heavy signet of Montreve; my Lord Delauney's legacy, I felt somewhat better with it's substantial heft against my skin. It hung almost to my naval on the chain that once held Joscelin's khai pendant. I swept my ebony curls back into a matching caul; allowing a few tendrils to escape and curl softly against my face, only the finial of my marque showed at the nape of my neck. A modest pair of garnet earrings, and my fervent thanks again to the madcap house Eglantine. Phillipe gaped like a fish as I swept into the foyer.

"My lady!" my chevelier grinned rakishly and offered me his arm, only blushing a little bit. "Is there aught else you need before we depart?" I stood silently, not moving towards him, and his gaze turned quizzical as he dropped his arm. "My lady?"

I took a deep breath. "Phillippe, you cannot accompany me to the temple. I need you here." In the past, Ti-Phillippe would have insisted, pressing me to reconsider, it took me by surprise when he nodded after a moment.

"I suspected it would be thus," he admitted, his blue eyes grave, "though I would that it were otherwise." The tone of finality in his voice set my hair prickling. "Shall I come for you on the morrow?"

"Yes." I replied woodenly, and without another word, I let myself be handed into the waiting carraige.

I was ushered into the gardens, the priestesses of Asherat padding by softly, their glass beaded veils shimmering in the sunlight. I made my way along the perfumed labyrinth, finally reaching an alcove where a fountain softly played amongst the roses and trees. Melisande sat, resplendent in a gown the color of twilight; the sunlight catching blue sparks in her hair. It did not surprise me to find her thus; let it not be said that she lacked a flair for the dramatic.

"Phedre." she said, one word, wrought with meaning. I drew a deep breath before replying.

"My lady, Melisande."

She regarded me fondly, as if she had never betrayed me into the hands of the Skaldi, or committed treason against her own homeland.

"You came." I simply watched her, the spray of the fountain creating a nimbus around her head, like holy light. Her face was unveiled, in all it's fearful glory. My pulse quickened it's pace, loud enough to hear over the water, it seemed to me. I said nothing, waiting for her next move.

"Why have you come?" She queried, taking an almost playful tone. I drew in a deep breath, knees quivering.

"You sent for me, did you not?" I struggled to keep my voice even.

"I did." Her face was serene.

" ...and you swore in Kushiel's name that I would come to no harm. Since I have never known you to blaspheme..." I trailed off at the look in her eyes. It was as if they parted the veils and stared into the very core of my being, dismissing aught else as incidental. I fought the urge to kneel.

"And is that what you wish, Phedre?" she mused, her mouth curving upwards as my skin grew hot. "What sort of anguisette wishes for no harm to befall her?" She rose, her midnight blue gown sweeping to the ground in a sinous flow of fabric. She held out her hand to me.

"Come, walk with me in the gardens of Asherat, I would like to spend some time with you, is that safe enough?" I shuddered as I involuntarily leaned toward her, inhaling her scent. I could almost taste the salt of her skin. Melisande smiled.

"Come, Phedre."

~~~~~~

We walked throughout the gardens together, amongst more varieties of flowers and plants than I had thought existed. The sunlight dappled on her ivory skin, it glowed with ethereal light. We spoke of Imriel; Melisande had many questions about how he fared; alabaster cheeks flushed with motherly pride at his accomplishments. Her face took on a darker aspect as I broached his troubles with the D'Angeline peerage, the rumors I always fought to disprove, most of them involving her. She bore it gracefully, and I tried, Elua, I sought to protect her, even now. I struggled to keep my composure as she took my hand, smooth fingers interlacing with mine. Her touch was cool, but it burned through me. When it comes down to it, there has never been anyone to match her. I took another measured breath, as Melisande led me obediently back to the bench where I had originally met with her.

The grotto was beautiful, a small fountain which flowed gracefully over some rocks and into a small pool, the white marble bench gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight. Red roses bloomed in profusion; I thought briefly of the Duke de Morbhan as Melisande placed one in my hand, squeezing my fingers tightly around the stem. Redness exploded behind my eyes. as pain, fiery and sublime, lanced through me. I could not help it, I cried aloud with pleasure.

"Phedre." Her voice sounded so far away, faint behind the clap of bronze wings.
Through the haze, I could see her smiling down at me, so close, so beautiful, so deadly. I shuddered again; her hand was still clutched over mine.

"Do you understand?"
I struggled to formulate a reply, I moaned something, and then she kissed me. My heart swelled as I yearned towards her, into her, I couldn't get close enough. I became pliant under her tongue and she shaped words into my mouth.

"We are bound together, you and I."
I breathed with her as we shared our second kiss, and she smiled against my mouth, one hand went to the stays of my gown, and the other went to the back of my head, pulling free my caul, loosing my hair. She grasped me by the nape of my neck and shook me a little, watching with appreciation as the curling mass tumbled down around my shoulders, nigh down to my waist. I gasped again, trembling with desire; my dress pooled around my feet as her hand went to my breast, the other one still firmly holding me by the hair. Melisande bent me backwards until I was laying bare upon the white marble bench, the red rose still clutched in my bleeding hand. She bit my lip, and I made a strangled sound against her mouth.

"Do you remember the Longest Night?" she murmured, as she slid those smooth fingers between my legs, parting me effortlessly. I still had not let go of the rose, somehow I discerned that she did not want me to. I nodded, tears squeezing from my eyelids, I could not resist her.

"Do you have a signale now, my dear?"
I shuddered towards a climax, her fingers delving into me.

"Phedre." Her hand stilled. "Not yet." I stared up at her, bewildered for a moment; her eyes were lit from within, glowing sapphires. Melisande pulled a roll of fabric from her sleeve. It was a blindfold, which when unrolled, revealed a single, gleaming flechette. Her lips curved cruelly at the expression on my face.

"Disrobe me."

~~~~~~

I rose with alacrity, and hastened to her side. I nimbly loosened the stays of her midnight blue gown and drew it down her gleaming white shoulders to pool at her feet. My breathing sped up as I drank in the sight of her smooth naked skin. I knelt at her feet, abeyante, as she slipped the blindfold over my eyes. It was the same one, I am sure of it. I wondered briefly if she'd used it on anyone else since our last encounter. My thoughts scattered as Melisande pushed me back onto the bench the sun warmed marble smooth beneath my skin. I lay there, obedient, as she tied my wrists together underneath then tied my feet the same way, leaving me sprawled and bare, her sacrifice on a white marble altar. She murmured to me.

"Do you use the same signale, Phedre?"

I struggled against my bonds, I hate not being able to see. "Yes, my lady."

Melisande laughed, a true laugh; it reverberated through the grotto, and thrummed through me, I flushed.

"Good, I remember it." she said simply. I shivered, the hairs rising on the back of my neck. She traced the dull side of the flechette up the inside of my thigh. I could hear the sound of wind buffeting bronze wings. Behind the red haze in my eyes, stood Kushiel, stern and approving. Melisande bent and kissed me again; her unique scent permeating my senses. I remembered the kiss we shared at La Dolorosa; and the one when I had The Name of God within me, when I saw what might have been. Elua, it was sweet! I could not fight the languor suffusing my limbs as I melted under her touch. Then she began to cut me.
I cried out as she traced a thin line up my right side, slowly inching her way across. The trick to flechettes is that the cutting is done very, very slowly. I could feel every inch that she scored into my flesh. I cried out in ecstasy as she traced lightly around the curve of my breast, varying the pressure so it didn't always break skin. I shuddered as Melisande bent low to my ear, I could feel her warm breath, and the honeyed menace of her tone.

"Phedre?" She pricked one nipple, and I broke out in gooseflesh. I almost climaxed at the sound of my name on her lips again. I struggled not to sob but tears would not stop seeping from my eyes.

"Do you know what I'm going to ask you?" I could not stop shaking. She pricked the other nipple, and then I felt her spread me apart, hovering right above my nether lips. Like she had on The Longest Night, after parading me around in front of most of the Kusheline peerage in nothing but gauze and diamonds. The memory of it caused a new rush of desire, suffusing my limbs with a languid warmth. I could hear Melisande laughing; it was precisely what she had wanted me to be thinking. She traced lightly at my outer lips, dangerously close. I wept in terror; I could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Phedre?" She pressed the cold steel flat against me.

"HYACINTHE!"
It went on for a long while, Melisande waited until I was straining against my bonds and begging before she finally let up again. I shuddered and whimpered, tears continuously soaking the blindfold.

"Phedre?” Her rich voice, tinged with an emotion I could not name.
I shivered against her touch; she removed the blindfold, and I blinked up as she swam into focus. The sun was setting, and the rosy glow reflected off the water, and the white walls of the grotto, turning the roses to sangoire. Melisande traced a finger lightly around the outer edge of my left eye, the dart stricken one. Breathlessly, I gazed up into her impossibly beautiful face as she bent to kiss me once more. The lazy dance of our tongues stoked the fires within me once again. She pinched my left nipple, hard, and I gasped against her Breaking off, Melisande bent low, and I felt her laugh thrumming through her touch as she slid her fingers into me again, taking my Pearl of Naamah into her mouth. Moaning, I thrust my hips upwards involuntarily, as waves of pleasure swept through me again. Ah, Elua! Melisande delved deeper into me as I rose up to meet her hand. She pushed another finger into me, and grasped me by both orifices, squeezing together surprisingly hard. I bucked against her hand as I climaxed helplessly again and again, her mouth glued to me, tongue and fingers working, glorious, sapphire-blue eyes staring into mine.

~~~~~~

When I could breathe again, she was untieing me. She took a silver jug and filled it from the pool, sluicing it over me. The water was delightfully warm, and Melisande smiled at my expression.

"Phedre," it was like she placed a finger on my soul. "Are you well?"

I nodded and pushed my hair out of my eyes. I drew a deep shaking breath, the words spilling from my lips before I could stop myself.

"My lady," Melisande met my gaze wordlessly. I knelt abeyante before her.

"Please." I whispered, ashamed. I breathed in again, her scent made me dizzy, I swayed for a moment, yearning towards her again.
Her brow was clear, I could see no artifice in her jeweled stare, just a watchfulness, and the glimmering intelligence that always, always flowed beneath the surface.

"Let me please you." I begged softly. Her red lips curved, amused.

"You do, Phedre. But as it happens, I do have plans somewhat to that end." I quivered on my knees, feeling a rush of moisture at the rich promise of her tone. I gasped as she cupped my breast from behind, mouth moving softly along my neck, tracing the pulse that beat erratically there. I felt her teeth scrape that tender spot before she deftly unhooked my bonds, freeing my wrists and ankles at last, but did not release her grip on my wrists. I stood, docile, shivering all over like a fly stung horse as she bent close and whispered:

"As it happens, you won't be needing that cozy bungalow your Prince Severio deigned to lend for your comfort." Melisande continued more formally as she straightened and stepped back gracefully. I swayed on my knees, bereft of her touch anchoring me.

"You will be most richly appointed here as my guest for the remainder of your stay." I blanched, realized I had no choice, and then it suddenly dawned on me that she was fully dressed, gazing expectantly down at me, and I was still kneeling in the grass, naked as a babe. Hastily I donned my gown, coloring under Melisande's regard.

"Quarters have already been prepared for you, come, let us freshen ourselves and take a repast." Linking arms with me, I had time to savor her delicious warmth, as we followed the newly lit garden lanterns back towards the main sanctuary of Asherat of the Sea.
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In the Gardens of Asherat