She bit his shoulder, the hollow of his neck, and then the lobe of his ear, whispering, "Longing to share its innermost secrets, the heart uncloaks, its chains shattered on a vulvan forge. The mind drifts by on an orchid boat of sighs."
A moment past and Kramor experienced all the nuances of that moment. The delight of Loner's words, her weight against his hips, the quiet passion of their intimacy. As the moment and the force of their rhythm crested, the word flowed from him: "Metal shards take wing, endlessly reflecting the light, creating a cathedral. The soul emerges, offering orchids like a sacrament to the heart."
I never knew. The thought came unbidden into Loner mind, her ki flooding both of them like a molten sunrise. How could I have known... that it could be like this?
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Vivien was happy to be back in the garden, where she always felt so refreshed and peaceful. She lazily watched the little bees going about their business, flitting from flower to flower. One particularly large bee caught her eye and she watched it enter a long, slopping foxglove flower. She wondered, in a languid sort of way, what it would feel like to be the flower. The insistence of the large muscular bee pushing back her petals, caressing her innermost stamens, pollen glistening everywhere. Mmmmm, she thought, running her tongue slowly over her lips, that seems very nice. But it was probably a lot nicer for the flower, she reasoned, than the bee, for whom it appeared to be a bit messy.
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"Wait, I want to check this," Thantor said, motioning to a large wooden door to their right. He tried the door, which appeared to be locked. Frustrated, he was about to smash it with his mace when Anicka stayed his hand. "Let's try this". Reaching out her hands, she cast Knock, and the door easily opened. "Good point," remarked Thantor feeling a little embarrassed. Anicka smiled, enjoying his discomfort. The room was lit with numerous glowing orbs. In the middle of the room was a great clockwork-looking device, with gyroscopic attachments spinning on either side. "Lantian?" Anicka asked. "Who else would make such infernal devices," growled Thantor. He walked over to a pedestal, set off to one side, and began to manipulate the set of dial and levers. The machine began to hum, and a neon colored fluid began to move from the central holding globe to five smaller globes around the periphery. "How did you do that?" Anicka asked in amazement. "Beginner's luck," replied Thantor. He was having trouble getting a clear picture of how to operate the device, however. The mindlink with the drow had been brief and the information he was able to retain was spotty. After several combinations of movements, five dimension doors suddenly appeared around the periphery of the room. Through the doorways, they could see the glen where Thantor and the Dark Flames had been attacked.
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T'lainya placed her hand on Darkpoet's shoulder. "You seem lost in thought," she said gently, smiling at him.
"Oh, yeah," he answered, rousing himself. "Just woolgathering, I guess."
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Lulled by the sound of Kramor's heart, Loner sighed contently against his chest. That she and Kramor would have children... She found a deep sense of peace in that knowledge, as many of her nagging doubts were put to rest. A warrior's life is often hard... and short. But maybe not for them. Maybe... She could tell that Kramor felt it too, which did not surprise her. He was always... suddenly she bolted upright in the bed. "What the hel..." started Kramor, but Loner cut him off. "It's Thantor. Kramor, we have to go."
[ 08-02-2001: Message edited by: thantor3 ]