Sid grinned wildly and dived under water. Jerking on my legs, she pulled me under. Laughing and spitting out water, I clambered back upward.
“I am glad you’re back,” I said, “I think.”
She laughed. “Are the men here?”
I nodded. “Epona and the others are preparing breakfast for them now.”
“Ah, Epona the pleaser. Do you know she is over eighty years old?”
“She cannot be.”
“Glamour,” Sid said simply and scrubbed her dirty arms.
Just then, Thora appeared at the side of the creek. She barked a little bark and looked behind her.
“I told you she could track,” I heard Banquo call as he neared the side of the stream. Seeing both me and Sid naked, he then exclaimed. “Oh! I’m sorry, ladies.” He turned his back.
“Don’t be sorry. Strip and come in. The water is warm,” Sid told him.
Grinning, I pinched her under the water.
“Cerridwen?” he queried, looking over his shoulder.
Sid brought out the wicked in me. “Yes, come join us, Banquo,” I said. “Meet my sister, Sid.”
He laughed nervously. “Are you sure?”
Laughing, I splashed him. He chuckled then began to undress.
“Is he yours already, Raven Beak?” Sid whispered but then got distracted by the invisible Nadia near her shoulder. “Hush! I’m asking her—”
I thought on the result of an answer in either direction and decided not to reply.
Sid smiled.
Banquo stripped down and a moment later, before I could get a good look at him, jumped into the water.
“Ahh,” he yelled as the cold water hit him. “You lie, sisters.”
Sid and I both laughed, but Sid swam over to him and wrapped her arms around him. “I just wanted to see you naked,” she told him then looked deeply at his face. “You’ve the eyes of a king,” she whispered.
He grinned at Sid.
“What is it you say?” Sid asked Nadia. “Ah, the eyes of a queen as well. He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” Sid asked me.
“Yes.” He really was beautiful. And for a moment, I saw both Banquo and Sid before me with that strange double-vision as I had seen in the barrow. Once more Sid’s face changed, and I saw her as Boudicca had seen her, with her pale golden hair. And I saw Banquo too. He looked as he had in the vision I’d seen the night before, his long red hair pulled back into a braid. Prasutagus a voice whispered from my memory. He was Prasutagus, your husband.
My husband, but not my King, and not the raven-haired man from my visions.
Sid stroked her hand across Banquo’s chest then leaned in and kissed him while she moved his hands to her breasts.
Banquo quivered.
I giggled nervously, but for some reason, I didn’t feel jealous. It felt…okay…for Sid to be there with us.
“Don’t laugh, come,” Sid said and pulled my hand.
I glided easily in the water.
She moved one of his hands to my breast as she kissed his neck. “Eyes of a king,” she whispered in his ear.
Banquo stared at me, uncertain if he should take his hand away or not. Sensing his uncertainty, Sid pulled away from Banquo then guided me in front of him, putting his other hand on my other breast. I inhaled sharply. It felt so wonderful to have him touch me. My hands drifted to his waist. I touched his bare skin, felt his body. A feeling like lightning shot through me. Sid swam around behind me and joined her hands with Banquo’s. They both gently touched my breasts, playing with my nipples. Sid then took her hands away and stuck them under the water. I shifted, uncertain, when her hands drifted between my legs. She gently moved my legs apart and touched the soft folds therein.
“So sweet,” Sid whispered. “Feel,” she then told Banquo. Taking one of his hands, she guided him between my legs. He gently stroked me, his fingers never intruding, just touching me gently, his thumb working the sweet spot. My whole body shook. I closed my eyes. I could feel Sid’s hands on my breasts again, stroking me softly, then the feel of her wet, hot mouth sucking my nipples. Banquo leaned forward and kissed my neck as he rubbed me, touching all of me. I trembled when I climaxed.
Banquo took his hands away then held me gently by the back of my head and leaned in and kissed me. I didn’t resist him. His mouth tasted sweet. I caught the light doughy taste of sweet cakes and spring water in his mouth. After a moment, he pulled back. He was breathing hard.
Sid reached up, cradled his face, and kissed him playfully. Her hands roved under the water once again, but this time she found Banquo. “Impregnate Anwyn,” she whispered to him, “offer the spring your seed.”
Banquo closed his eyes. He breathed deeply, and his face began to twitch with excited sensations as Sid touched him under the water. I kissed him passionately, my tongue roving inside his sweet mouth. I felt him shaking. A few moments later, he contorted with excited release. Panting, he wrapped his arms around us both and kissed our cheeks.
“You are very sweet,” Sid told Banquo as she waded out of the water. Grabbing her heap of clothing, she tucked it under her arm then headed naked back to the coven, leaving me in Banquo’s arms.
Banquo sat down on a large rock underwater, and I crawled onto his lap, my arms around his neck, my head resting upon his chest. I could feel his declining manhood under me. We relaxed in the cold water, Banquo’s arms wrapped around me.
“What is she?” he whispered.
“A faerie thing,” I replied.
“How is it I feel so deeply for you but only just met you?” he whispered.
I smiled and looked deep into his eyes. Prasutagus. The named floated on the wind. “This is an old love renewed,” I whispered.
“May the Goddess let it be so,” Banquo replied.
Chapter 13
That morning, when the bards played, the rest of us danced around the maypole. Taking hold of bright, colorful ribbons, we ladies and our druid guests wove around the tall pole and sang the songs of spring. I giggled happily as we strung the symbol of the Forest Lord, the erect maypole, with his lady’s purse, the colorful ribbons. I was holding a bright purple ribbon, weaving it in and out between the other colors. Laughing, my heart pounding, I soon began to feel a little dizzy. As I danced, my mind went back in time, and I saw Madelaine threading purple thread in and out of her embroidery frame.
“How do you get it to look so perfect?” I had asked her.
I had been sitting at her side, all of the women around the house gathered by the fire sewing as the chill of deep winter blasted the castle walls.
“I don’t think about it,” she replied. “My hands move, do the work, but my mind is elsewhere.”
“Where?”
Madelaine laughed. “That, Little Corbie, is none of your business,” she said then playfully tapped my nose with one finger.
The other women giggled.
I sighed heavily then set down my sewing. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I said but both Madelaine and I knew it was a lie.
“Of course. Fly back soon.”
I rushed out of the hall and upstairs, stopping in my chamber to grab my heavy bear-fur coat, and headed toward the castle turret. Eager to get outside and away from the boredom, I rushed as quietly as I could down the dark castle hallways toward the turret door. The brass pull on the door was freezing cold; it burned my fingers. When I opened the door, freezing wind blasted down the spiral stairwell. I went into the turret, clapping the door shut behind me, then rounded up the spiral stairs and pushed open the outer door. I emerged onto the roof, startling a flock of ravens roosting under the arches. They cawed then flew off, black specks against a white canvas. The wind whipped violently, but it was a magical sight. The whole countryside was covered in a blanket of snow that shimmered like blown diamond dust. The sun was just beginning to set. Dim hues of heather purple and marigold orange trimmed the horizon.