GreenGlass's Points Story: A Lesson

Ansella rested against her lover’s knee, the dark green linen of the robe covering it smooth beneath her cheek. The day was warm, and the shade of the oak tree under which they sat was welcome. Ibbit’s voice murmured in a stream that slipped in and out of the bird song and breeze around them, loose and flowing. Her eyes were heavy, and she closed them, not sleeping, only floating.

“Is there anything I need to explain about today’s lesson?” finished Ibbit, stroking Ansella’s golden head.

“Hm?” said Ansella. The lesson. It had been something about Venna’s brothers, the treacherous rapist Eddin, the violent rapist Farr, and the lecherous rapist Nerr. At least she thought that’s what it was about. She never really listened to lessons or sermons anyway; she preferred service and offerings. But it was so warm and pleasant under the tree. Ansella didn’t pay much attention to the words, bobbing gently up and down on the rhythmic cadence of Ibbit’s strong, sure voice instead, a voice that eased her doubts about Ibbit’s interpretation of scripture. “No, Sister,” Ansella sighed in contentment. “I understand.”

“You understand enough, darling,” smiled Ibbit. She stood up from the bench surrounding the tree and reached down to Ansella on the ground. “Come. Walk with me.” She took Ansella’s arm and tucked it firmly in her own, leading her down the dappled paths away from the great house. “You’ve come so far in your understanding, Ansella. I’m very proud of you,” said Ibbit.

Ansella turned a face open with pleasure up to her taller companion. “Really? I sometimes wonder if I fully grasp what you’re telling me.”

Ibbit surreptitiously looked around them. They were standing in the orchard, the low branches of the pear trees shielding them from sight. “Annie, don’t worry about that,” she murmured. Ansella felt Ibbit’s strong arms encircle her, healer’s hands working at her nape until she loosened and opened completely.

Before Ibbit had come to Whithorse, she has been so tight, so closed against the world. Now, it was as if the world moved through Ibbit into her, relaxing every inch of her, disconnecting her joints, turning her thoughts soft and malleable. She pressed her cheek against Ibbit’s shoulder; sometimes it was as if they were made to fit together, she thought. Ansella closed her eyes as Ibbit gripped her chin and kissed her, urging her mouth open and capturing her tongue.

A pleasant thrill of fear always split her open from the top of her head to her core when Ibbit bit her tongue. Ibbit’s teeth were sharp and had broken skin before. It wasn’t always this; sometimes Ibbit would hold her by the neck, as if the bigger woman were assessing the best way to break it. Knowing Ibbit could hurt her, but that she chose not to, made Ansella’s knees buckle, unable to hold her own weight any more.

Ibbit let go of her tongue, pressing her against the nearest tree. “Let me decide how well you’re doing. Let me take care of you. Let me hold you up. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, to teach you, and take care of you, my sweet, beautiful girl. Don’t move. Be still, now.”

Ansella kept her eyes closed. She slumped against the tree, her limp hands trying to hold herself up, breath struggling against her lethargy, but then, Ibbit wanted her to stay still--stay still as Ibbit pinned her against the tree, stay still as Ibbit opened her bodice, stay still as the sharp teeth left little strawberry marks along the skin at the top of her corset, stay still as Ibbit’s hands and head pushed her skirts up, as the sharp teeth pulled at her lips, and then as they worked at her clit, Ibbit’s tongue circling all around everywhere the sharp teeth had been, erasing their traces only to have them mark her again, and again. She stayed still, very still, until she couldn’t any more.