The Great Escape Chapter 9, Part 1 of 6

The Great Escape
Chapter 9, Part 1 of 6

Kalyndra and Devon walked silently across the hot plain to the meeting place by the forest, keeping up a fast pace and raising dust with their sandals, neither wanting to be the first to slow down.

It took an hour, and when they arrived, they made a fire from the logs the Woodlanders had stored. They threw the grey powder in the flames, sending up clouds of dense white smoke.

When the plume was higher than the tree-tops and rising steadily, they sat on a log to eat their lunches, waiting in case any Woodlanders nearby saw the signal and came to investigate.

There were no Woodlanders nearby, but ten miles away in the forest camp, beside the meadow beside the small vegetable plot, a thin wisp of smoke could be seen on the western horizon, trailing hundreds of feet into the cloudless blue sky. Mirselene received the report with interest and gave her orders for the next day's special meeting with the Mariners.

The girls finished their lunches quietly at the meeting place, and Devon finally wanted to talk.

"Well, Goliath?" she said.

"Well, Shrimp?"

Neither insult was fair. There was barely three inches in height between the women.

"Well," Devon repeated, "just because the factions have made up, it doesn't mean we have to be friends."

"Of course not. Rivals forever?"

"Forever!" Devon agreed.

"Because you'll always be in awe of my big womanly breasts," Kalyndra said.

"And you'll always envy my strong, beautiful legs."

Kalyndra nodded. "Your legs are your best feature."

Devon stretched them out, pointing her toes and pulling up her short skirt to expose her thighs.

"I do have rather fine pins," she admitted. She stood, put one foot on the log, and showed off her calf.

"Yours aren't too bad," Devon added.

"Thank you."

"Only they're too long. They make you unbalanced. That's why you're so clumsy."

"It's better to be clumsy than a short arse."

"Is it?"

Devon began rolling the log with her foot, unbalancing Kalyndra, who started to fall backward.

She tried to steady herself, but Devon pushed again, and Kalyndra began to fall. She grabbed Devon's skirt, pulling the girl with her as she toppled, laughing.

Devon laughed as well, falling forward onto Kalyndra. As the girls lay together, their arms, legs, and hair entangled, they could smell the scent of each other's skins, glowing from the day's heat. Devon acted first. She put her hands on Kalyndra's shoulders as if to push herself up but stopped, sank, and put her mouth on Kalyndra's, sucking on her lower lip. Devon didn't know whether the kiss lasted one minute or five. Eyes shut, heart pounding, she felt only Kalyndra's full, soft lips. Then the dream faded, and she was aware of a warm body under her.

Devon came back to reality and pushed herself up.

"I'm so sorry, Kalyndra, I couldn't help myself."

"Come here," Kalyndra said, grabbing Devon's shoulders. She pulled her back down.

Now Kalyndra kissed Devon just as passionately, with open mouths, smooth tongues entwined, a suppressed longing finally released. With Kalyndra's hands holding her tightly around her waist, Devon felt her love return. Her fear vanished.

They lay on the ground, not caring about the leaves in their hair or the mud on their skirts.

They kissed and cuddled, occasionally stopping to breathe or to laugh.

Eventually, Devon wanted to talk again.

"So, how long have you loved me?" she asked.

"How long have we been rivals?"

"About three years."

"Then, about three years."

"Really? Why didn't you say something?"

"You were so bitter, so angry at us all, especially me."

"It must have seemed so, but I was never furious at you, Kalyndra. And now things are different," Devon said with satisfaction. "It'll take me some time to find my balance, but I will, and then I don't think I'll be unhappy again. Not now."

Kalyndra stroked the younger girl's shoulder.

"I won't let you be unhappy if I can help it. So, how about you?"

"How long have I loved you? As long as I can remember. You were always a bright presence in my life. You wafted about the camp, beautiful as a goddess. Everyone looked up to you."

"Wafted, did I?" Kalyndra asked, very amused.

"Like a goddess."

"Despite being so big and clumsy?"

"Uh, huh! A big clumsy goddess."

They laughed, and Kalyndra rolled them over. Devon lay back and wrapped her rather fine pins around the taller girl's waist.

"So why didn't you ever say anything to me?" Kalyndra asked.

"I couldn't. You were so remote, so far above everyone."

"Well, I'm above you now."

"Yes, and you can stay there as long as you like."

"Oh, I will."

They kissed again and comfortably relaxed; Devon wanted to know more:

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go on."

"Why do you love him?"

Kalyndra had thought about this but wasn't sure how to frame her answer.

"I can't say. I suppose, because I do."

"That's no reason."

"Do I need a reason?"

"Everything has a reason, Kalyndra."

"All right. He's easy to love. He's kind and thoughtful. Also, he's the only man there is."

"Is that your whole reason?"

Kalyndra paused. She didn't want to keep anything from her new-old love.

"No. There's more. He makes me feel wanted, desired, adored, and fulfilled. Especially fulfilled."

"That's a lot of things to feel. But I think I understand. So that's why you're his slave?"

"I'm not his slave!"

"Aren't you?"

"Well, I'm his sex slave. And I swore to follow him."

"So, what will he say about us?"

"He'll say, 'Devon is the luckiest girl on Samothea.'"

"He will?"

"Yes."

"He won't mind if we're bedmates?"

"Why would he? He doesn't mind that Dipti and Urulla are lovers or that Erin and Annela
share a bed. Why would he mind us?"

"I hope you're right, but you'd best ask him. I don't want you to lose him for my sake."

"It won't happen. Trust me."

"I trust you," Devon said as she lifted her mouth to Kalyndra's.

Half an hour later, it was clear no Woodlanders were coming, and it was past time they were heading back to the settlement. Kalyndra helped Devon up, and they walked together across the plain, chatting gaily, sometimes out of sheer happiness, stopping to hold each other and kiss, but not for too long.

They were back in the settlement sooner than they wanted. It was mid-afternoon when they reported to Calliope, who had cleared Belena's stuff out of the boat and was moving her belongings.

"Well done, girls," she said. "We saw the signal. Did you have enough lunch? Yes? Then
Ferne will give you your afternoon chores."

Ezra was helping some of the Mariners sort through a pile of scraps from the boat. They hoped to find some old Earth technology he might repair but had no luck. The Cloners had ransacked the boat ages ago and taken away anything promising.

He threw another useless item in the storage pile and looked up to greet the girls.

Devon said, "Kalyndra and I have something to tell you. Would you mind if she came to our hut tonight?"

"I don't mind at all."

"Good."

With that enigma for Ezra to ponder, the girls went to find Ferne and learn their jobs.

Kalyndra and Devon had spent all afternoon working together, then bathed together in the stream and sat side-by-side at dinner. By then, everyone knew there had been another change in the settlement. Even Ezra had noticed, and he had almost no social antennae. It made him curious to know what they had to say.

There was no dancing that night after dinner. It was too early to celebrate Belena's expulsion, and those planning to meet the Woodlanders tomorrow early went to bed.

When the girls came into the hut, they carried burning tapers. They sat on the bed while he took the wicker stool. Kalyndra made the announcement:

"Devon and I are in love. We're going to be bedmates."

"That's wonderful!" Ezra exclaimed. "Congratulations!"

"So, you don't mind?" Devon asked.

"Why should I mind? I'm pleased for you, and I hope you'll make each other very happy."

Devon could see he was frank, and she warmed to him even more than before. She didn't yet love him, not the way Kalyndra did, but she admired him for his part in ousting Belena. More than this, she enjoyed their week together, which had given her as much sexual pleasure as she'd ever known, and she wanted to love him for her new girlfriend's sake. There was no jealousy, or so she thought, but she and Ezra both noticed Kalyndra fall silent.

"What is it, Kali?" Ezra asked. "Have I said something wrong?"

"No. It's fine."

"Devon, help me out, please?" he asked. "This is female psychology."

Devon looked deeply into her girlfriend's smoky black eyes. Kalyndra met her gaze, smiling, but she couldn't hide her feelings.

"Kalyndra, you're disappointed. Let me guess why. You predicted Ezra wouldn't object to our relationship, but you didn't want him to approve it so readily. If he'd disapproved, you could've persuaded him to change his mind, showing me your power over him."

"Is that it, Kali?" Ezra asked. "You know you don't need to show your power over me. No one can doubt it. Everything we do together is down to you. It's my need for you that drives me."

"I know," Kalyndra said. "It's not that. Honestly."

"Well then, what?"

"It's that you're happy for Devon and me because it makes it easier for you to leave me here."

"My God! You're right! I'm sorry, Kali. I admit that thought was at the back of my mind. I'm not going to leave you permanently, but when I return to the Woodlanders, I thought you'd be comforted by Devon until I could come back and claim you - which I will."

"You're not going away with him?" Devon asked her. "But your promise?"

"I have to stay here in case Belena comes back, or the rival factions start up again." She took
Devon's hand. "And now I have another reason to stay."

Devon had mixed feelings. Of course, she wanted her lover to stay, but she had been resigned to letting her go away with Ezra, and she was sincere in not wanting to split Kalyndra away from him.

"I'm glad you're staying," she said, "but I'll understand when you have to go away."

"She - we - won't be away forever," Ezra said. "We're coming back to the Mariners." After this, there was nothing to add. No one knew what would happen, and speculating would be
fruitless.

"I'll go back to my hut now," Kalyndra said.

"You don't have to," Ezra replied. "I'll leave you two alone. Someone will put me up."

"No, Ezra. It's Devon's last night with you. You two stay."

He turned to Devon.

"It should be your choice, Devon. Do you want to spend your first night with Kali here?"

Devon thought a minute and had the best idea.


To be continued