She snuggled deep into his arms. "No one is truly certain, but the legend says that a group of women, captured in a war, were being transported across the desert to be sold into bondage. Among them was a beautiful girl, the only child of the murdered, vanquished king. Her name was Suneva. It was she who secretly rallied the women into refusing to accept their ignominious fate. During a terrible sandstorm she led them out of the victor's encampment. When the storm was over, they could no longer even see their enemies' camp, and they had no idea of where they were. The princess, however, was a strong leader. She led her little band of women into the mountains. They wandered for weeks, and during that time, Suneva taught them how to be independent of everyone except themselves, for they were very much like our women are today. She taught them to rely on each other to govern and defend themselves. "

"Then one day they were attacked by bandits who sought to enslave them. Forced, despite their best efforts, into a canyon with but one entry, they believed all was lost. It was then that Suneva struck the face of the rock mountain, and a passage opened for them. The women escaped into the passage, Suneva ordering the rock to close behind them. Thus they once again outwitted the men who would seek to subjugate them. They followed the tunnel to its end, and into the valley of Kava. "

"Under Suneva's direction they built the city, discovered the riches of the earth, and learned to be autonomous of men. But because we understood that males have value else the goddess would not have created them, we brought men into Kava as slaves to do the heavy work, and we needed them to immortalize our race. But we have never allowed them to have sovereignty over us, for men are a troublesome sex, Dagon. Look at your own condition. Had your brother not been greedy for all that was yours, you should yet be your father's heir."

"What happened to Suneva that you deified her?" Dagon asked, stroking Kalida's silky hair.

"Suneva never grew old as the others who had originally escaped with her eventually did. It was quickly realized that she was not like other women. One day she went into the temple to pray. She was never seen again in mortal form. The next day a great marble statue appeared in the exact place where she was last observed. None could explain where it had come from, or how it had been placed within the temple. The women knew then that Suneva had been possessed by the spirit of a goddess because she had been able to lead them so capably, for the princess they had known in their own land was certainly no stronger than they had been. Who this great and generous spirit was they did not know, so it was the Suneva that they had known all those years that they prayed to, and have prayed to over the centuries. She has never failed us, and I hope we have not failed her."

Her story was an amazing one. Dagon wondered how much of it was truth, and what the real truth was. They would never know, he suspected. Reaching down, he tipped her face up to his. "Will you permit me to make love to you, my queen?" he asked softly.

Kalida smiled into his face and nodded, her small hand cupping the back of his head and drawing it down to hers. Their kisses were heady, and like the finest vintage wine. They were quickly intoxicated with each other as their tongues intertwined in a sensuous dance, but suddenly she drew away from him, smiling at his puzzled look.

"Come with me," she said, rising from their bed and holding out her hand to him. She led him to the far side of the bedchamber through a colonnade of marble pillars, out into her private garden. The space was silvery with the light of the full moon. On the far side of the garden a second colonnade gave way to a view of the mountains beyond, its terrace falling steeply down a sheer, smooth rock incline. While Dagon could not identify the shadowy growth of bushes and flowers, he could smell both the sweet musk of roses and the heady, potent fragrance of lilies. "Can you swim?" Kalida asked him.

"Yes," he answered, puzzled, and then he saw the pool with its delicate marble shell fountains at either corner. The water glistened darkly in the moonlight.

Releasing his hand, Kalida moved down the marble steps of the pool, and began to swim away from him. Dagon watched her, fascinated. He had never known a woman who could swim. Her gilt hair spread out behind her like a spider web, half shielding her lithe body from his sight. She dove beneath the surface, and for a moment he was frightened. Then he laughed, seeing her shadow swimming toward him. He moved swiftly down the steps into the water and plunged beneath the surface, swimming to meet her, their lips touching first.

As they broke into the night air again it was Kalida who laughed aloud, and it was a most joyful sound to his ears. "How well you understand me, my beautiful Dagon. How can this be in so short a time?"

"We have been destined to be together since time began," he told her, smiling and drawing her into his arms again. "It is the will of a most generous Suneva, my queen."

Her hands cupped his buttocks, drawing him closer to her. She could feel his love lance stiffening as it made contact with the soft pillow of her mount. She stood on tiptoes and ran a taunting tongue over his lips. "Aye, the goddess is very kind," she purred at him. Then, turning, she threw herself back into the waters, but she was not quite quick enough.

Dagon had anticipated her teasing mood, and his fingers closed swiftly about one of her ankles. For a moment she struggled to free herself, then she relaxed, floating lightly upon her back in her captivity. He bent and, taking her foot in his grasp, licked it with broad strokes of his tongue, pushing it between each of her toes, and finally sucking them individually in turn. Releasing her foot, he took the other and rendered it the same homage before freeing it, too.

For a long moment she floated before him, eyes closed, her long, beautiful hair streaming out behind her like gold and silver threads of spider's silk. Then she opened her emerald eyes, and she could see his great penis thrusting up from the ebony thicket of his groin. The tip of her tongue slid swiftly over her lips as if she were anticipating a delectable meal. Seeing her slight action, he reached out, and, taking her in a gentle grip, first her ankles, then her calves, and finally her slender thighs, he drew her inexorably forward to slowly impale her.

Kalida sighed gustily as he entered her body. With a wicked skill she tightened the muscles of her sheath about him, holding him firmly, releasing him, again and again. Bracing her, his hands beneath her back, Dagon leaned carefully forward. His tongue slipped from between his lips, and he began to encircle the nipple of one breast with a teasingly delicate motion. He made no other move but to encircle the sensitive little nub over and over again, just occasionally flicking at it with the very tip of his tongue. Her eyes closed, and by watching her face, he could see her passions rising moment by moment.

Finally, he raised his head from the first breast, and moved to the second. This time, however, his actions were harsher. He suckled fiercely on the second nipple, his teeth sometimes biting down on the tender flesh, not so hard as to harm it, but hard enough to send a jolt of lightning through her. He could feel himself growing bigger and harder within her, if such a thing was even possible, but the hot, spongy morass of her depth was arousing him now as she had never before aroused him.

Kalida could feel him throbbing furiously within her. The frenzy and turbulence of their hungry coupling was madness. She gasped desperately for air as she reached her crescendo, half sobbing as her love juices sprinkled forth, liberally and generously moistening the blazing red crown of his penis, but not satisfying it in the least.

Raising her up, Dagon carried her to the steps of the pool, setting Kalida down on her hands and knees. She arched her back, raising her buttocks up, and uttered one word."Yes!" Standing behind her, he pulled the twin halves of her peach apart, positioning himself before the rosy aperture. Carefully he pushed against it, gently, gently, then more insistently, more assertively. The flesh gave way, opening slowly, and then suddenly the tip of his love lance entered the hitherto unexplored orifice of her lush body. She gasped, more in surprise than pain, and he pressed onward, one hand holding her firmly.

She was so tight. He knew at once that it would take little effort for him to reach the pinnacle of his own passions. He was halfway inside her now. Unable to help himself, he thrust his full length. Kalida gasped again, but forbade him not. He withdrew slowly, and thrust again… and again… and again. To his great surprise her bottom began to wiggle itself and press hard into his belly. Leaning forward, he sought and found her pleasure point with his other hand. She was creamy with her juices. His finger teased at the swelling nub as he moved himself within her until finally they arrived at the meridian of their lustful satisfaction, his tribute thundering into her wasteland while she squealed with her pleasure, almost squirming away from the grip of his hand in her excitement, while the hand beneath her was soaked with another libation of delight.

Finally, he withdrew from her. Kalida slowly turned over onto the pool steps to view the state of his love lance. She smiled, pleased at the sight. He was more shriveled and smaller than she had ever seen him. "I have milked your balls quite well, Dagon," she said with a chuckle.

He laughed weakly, seating himself next to her, the warm water of the pool lapping at them. "Aye, my queen, you have," he agreed. "I never knew such frenetic, hot desire as we have just experienced, but we shall make no babies that way, Kalida." He took her hand in his, turning it about to kiss its palm.

She smiled wickedly. "I have never allowed a man to do what you just did. It was interesting, and very exciting, but I do not think I would do it often." She took the hand holding hers, and sucked her juices from his fingers. Her heart was only just beginning to slow its furious beat.

Above them the sky was beginning to show signs of lightening. There was the faintest smudge of pale lavender-gray above the purple mountains. It would soon be dawn, the beginning of a new day. The lovers rose from the water and returned to the bedchamber to sleep, for they were both fully exhausted, their labors of the night even now drawing to an end.

It was there Zeras found them several hours later, Kalida curled into the protective curve of Dagon's muscled arm, a small smile upon her face. Seeing them thus, Zeras knew Kalida's decision was made, and there was nothing he could do to prevent it.

"Oh, well," he said softly to himself, "I suppose it was time for us all to retire." Then he bent, and gently shook the lovers awake.

chapter 5

It had been over ten years since the population of Kava had been called into the Arena of the Queens. The marble and colonnaded sphere had but one entry, through the great temple of Suneva itself, for its purpose was but twofold. The abdication of one queen, and the choosing of another. The large bronze doors opening into the arena were always kept closed but for those two special times, which were separated by three days' time.

Kalida had, upon awakening, bathed, dressed, and then gone directly to pay a visit upon Uphala, the High Priestess of Suneva. Uphala was a tall, statuesque woman with raven's black hair and silver-gray eyes. Ageless, she had been Suneva's High Priestess for most of Kalida's lifetime. She now came forth to greet the queen upon the front portico of the snow-white temple, bowing deferentially and saying, "Hail, Kalida, Queen of Kava! I bid you welcome to the temple of Suneva."

"I salute you, Uphala, High Priestess, and beloved of the goddess," the queen responded, and together the two women entered the temple proper.

When they were seated in Uphala's private chamber, wine was poured by a young novice, who, bowing, withdrew, leaving the queen and the High Priestess alone. Kalida arose, and going to a little altar, poured a small libation of her wine into the offering dish at the feet of a slender statue of the goddess.

"Power and position have not obviated your sense of respect for Suneva, I see," Uphala remarked, pleased.

"How can I deny Suneva when she has answered my prayers so admirably?" Kalida answered the High Priestess.

"Then the faint rumors I have but only heard recently are true?" Uphala said quietly.