Disclaimers: Soul Crossing is an uber story. The story depicts a same sex relationship between two women. As far as sexual content, it very rarely goes beyond PG13--although more is implied. Any similarities to XWP are not intended to be copyright infringement. For those who have missed any of the story so far, you can visit my web site: http://webbard.homestead.com/scrollssoulcrossing.html
Soul Crossing
By Web Bard (copyright 01/01)
Part 19
Reese placed her arm around her partner's shoulder as they stood at the cliffs where their commitment ceremony had taken place. She and Beth had enjoyed an extra day in Lesvos and had experienced a very safe and uneventful sailing trip back to the mainland. Beth asked to stop by the cliffs one more time before returning to Amphipolis.
"Are you alright?" The taller woman paced her hand under Beth's chin and lifted it toward hers.
"I'm fine, sweetheart," said the young blonde. "I just have such a spiritual connection to this place. Our wedding was here..."
Reese pulled her lover closer and kissed her softly. "I'm so glad we had the ceremony here, aren't you?"
Beth nodded and smiled at the tall beauty who held her in a strong embrace. She placed her head on Reese's shoulder and tightened her grip around her partner's waist.
Reese felt the extra squeeze from her bride and leaned down to kiss the top of Beth's head. Her young partner had held her completely captive in their hotel room the day before. Beth had indeed ravished her--nearly to the point of exhaustion. Reese was only allowed to leave the bed to use the bathroom. They ate and slept and made love for hours. Her lover’s affection was relentless, almost to the point of desperation. Her new bride memorized every inch of her body and touched her like it might be the last time she would ever see her again.
That's it, thought Reese. After the boat accident, she's terrified that I might leave her. The taller woman felt a lump rise in her throat.
"Beth, honey, we need to talk." Reese gently pulled away from her partner and motioned for them to move to a place to sit down.
"What is it, love?"
"First of all," said Reese as she reached for Beth’s hand. "I’m not complaining. But I want to talk to you about yesterday."
Beth smiled and began to blush. "Yes…what about yesterday?"
"You were, um, a little bit of a maniac."
"A maniac?" Beth started to giggle.
"Like I mentioned before, I’m not complaining about your amorous intentions," said the taller woman. "I just want to know why you were so intense. It was like you were desperate to consume every inch of me."
"And that’s a bad thing?"
"Of course not," answered Reese. "It’s just…well, you’ve never acted that way before."
Beth took her lover’s face in her hands and looked into her steel blue eyes. "Now, you listen to me. I married you and nearly watched you die - - all in the same 24 hours. I’ve taken it for granted that you would always be here. Always be by my side. But when I pulled you out of the ocean, I saw the life draining out of you. It was the best thing that ever happened to me."
"What?"
"If that hadn’t happened, then I would have never known what life would be like without you," said Beth. She leaned in and softly kissed her partner. "I plan to live every day like it will be the last day we will ever spend together. So get used to my ravenous, maniacal ways. I plan to devour you every chance I get. If you have a problem with that, then tell me. Otherwise, I suggest you start taking vitamins and eat your Wheaties. You’re going to need to keep up your strength."
Reese gave her new bride a shocked look and then began to laugh. "Yes ma’am. Wheaties. Vitamins. Lots of them."
Beth playfully pushed her partner off of the rock they were sitting on. The taller woman stumbled to the ground. Beth pounced on her lover like a cat and pinned her shoulders to the ground. She leaned down and kissed Reese until she could barely breathe. "That’s a down payment until tonight. We have a wedding reception to attend, but then…"
Two can play this game. Reese grabbed her lover’s shoulders and flipped her on her back. Blue eyes met green and the taller woman inched ever closer to inviting lips. "And then, what?"
"I…I…" Beth stammered as she began to lose herself under the predatory glare of her partner’s eyes.
"I suggest you take your vitamins, too, lover." Reese gave Beth an evil grin and then kissed her over and over again until she begged for mercy.
"We’re going to kill each other at this rate," said the young blonde as she gasped for air.
"Oh, but what a way to go." Reese laughed and pulled her partner to her feet. "We’d better go. Mamme will send a search party if we don’t show up to our own reception."
*********************************
Reese pulled the car next to the tavern near her grandparent’s inn. Mamme asked that they meet her there. The taller woman took her new bride’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "Are you ready for this? Whatever happens is going to be a surprise for me, too, you know."
"As long as you stay right by my side, I’ll be okay," said Beth as she gave her partner a reassuring smile. "There’s Mamme."
"My girls! Welcome home," said the excited grandmother. "Come inside quickly. You need to change clothes."
The two women were led into one of the tavern rooms. Waiting for them were two attendants to help them dress into their reception finery. Beth gasped as she saw the white flowing gown and gold sleeveless coat she was supposed to change into. "Reese! It’s the dress I saw in the vision at the cliffs, isn’t it?"
The taller woman ran her hands over her own gown and long gold vest. She closed her eyes and recalled the vision of the two women she saw after their wedding ceremony. She turned to her partner and barely spoke above a whisper. "Yes, it is. But how did Mamme know?"
The grandmother came in the room as the attendants helped the women with their gowns. Mamme gently took the antique coat from the hanger and draped it over Beth’s arms. She then took the long gold vest and helped her granddaughter put it on over her gown. As she pulled the vest around Reese’s chest, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed the young woman on the cheek. "I want this to be special for you my darling."
"Oh, Mamme," said Reese as a tear ran down her face. "Thank you for doing this for us. I love you so much."
Beth walked over and placed her hand on the back of her partner’s back. She rubbed it gently and then leaned over and kissed Mamme on the cheek.
"Come," said the grandmother. "The celebration begins now."
Music began to play outside of the tavern. Mamme led the two women to the door. When they opened it, the entire village was waiting for them. A small band of musicians continued to play. The tiny grandmother walked with the two women to the front of the waiting group. "Citizens of Amphipolis, I would like for you to honor these two women bound in love and companionship in the eyes of God."
The large crowd began to clap in rhythm with the music as the Beth and Reese clasped hands and began to lead the group down the road to the inn. Reese needed no words to express her love to her new bride. She gazed adoringly into the green eyes that often held her captive. Beth leaned her head against her bride’s shoulder as they walked toward the large wooden doors of the inn. The doors opened and Pappos greeted the two women with hugs and kisses.
"Welcome to all the citizens of our village," said the old man as he motioned for the guests to come into the inn.
Mamme motioned for Reese and Beth to come to the front of the large room. "We are going to celebrate your reception with traditional Greek customs. I will explain them as they happen. First of all, your Pappos is going to serve as the koumbaros. The koumbaros is usually the groom’s godfather or the best man. However, today, we are making new customs. Pappos will first assist with the Greek Crowns."
The older man walked over to the table where two gold crowns rested on satin pillows. He took the crowns that were joined together by a ribbon and placed them on Reese and Beth’s heads. He then swapped them back and forth three times, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. The koumbaros then took the crowns and placed them back on the pillows. The grandfather took the women by their hands and walked them around the table three times. The villagers began to shower the two women with flower petals as they walked around the crowns.
"Now, your Pappos has one more job as the koumbaros," said Mamme. "He must start the dancing!"
The musicians began to play traditional music. Pappos reached for his granddaughter’s hand, who in turn reached for Beth’s hand. "We will now celebrate the joining of these two souls. Please form a circle around the couple and drop to one knee. Beth and Reese, the first dance is yours."
Within seconds, a large circle was formed around the two women. The villagers began to clap in rhythm with music. Reese placed one arm around Beth’s waist and raised one arm in the air. Beth mirrored her partner’s moves and the couple began to slowly turn, never breaking eye contact with one another. As they danced, they never noticed the paper money that was being thrown into the circle around them. Around and around and around. The two women could have been dancing alone in the room for all the attention they were paying to their reception guests. Reese tightened her hold on Beth’s waist and pulled her closer. I don’t care anymore. I’m kissing my bride right now.
Beth turned quickly into Reese’s arms and met the lips eagerly searching for hers. She closed her eyes and drank in the warmth of her partner’s affection. Beth only stopped the kiss when she realized the villagers were clapping loudly at their impromptu kiss. She lowered her head and blushed.
Reese pulled her closer and then motioned for the band to stop playing. "I have something to say, if I may."
The band stopped and the crowd began to rise from their position on their knees. "Many of you know me, but you don’t know my bride. May I introduce you to Beth Morris-Keros. The love of my life and the woman who holds my heart for eternity."
The guests clapped and whistled for Beth. The young blonde waved for the group to quiet down. "I have something to say, too. I came to Greece to trace my roots and found a family and a bride all in the same week. You have welcomed me and accepted me as one of your own and it means the world to me. I look forward to returning with my beautiful bride to visit Amphipolis many times. Reese, I love you more than my life and you have made me happier than I could have ever dreamed possible."
The group began to clap again. The music began once more and the crowd began to move toward the middle of the room. All of a sudden, a crash was heard. Beth and Reese looked into the middle of the circle and noticed that a plate had been thrown to the floor and smashed into pieces.
"Don’t worry, love," said Reese as she placed her arm around her bride’s shoulder. "Breaking plates at a wedding is a symbol for good luck and happiness and the permanence of marriage."
Plate after plate shattered on the floor as the reception guests laughed and danced and showered the wedding couple with hugs and kisses. As the afternoon turned into night, Mamme asked for the crowd’s attention. "There is one other Greek custom that will happen tonight. If the women in the room could follow me, we are going to dress the wedding bed."
Beth gulped and swallowed hard. They are going to do what? She grabbed Reese’s hand as they gave each other a puzzled look.
"Your guess is as good as mine, sweetheart," said Reese as she shrugged her shoulders.
The two women entered the room and noticed that the bed was covered in rose petals. Candles were placed on the bedside tables. The women in the room were all smiling at the couple. Reese walked closer to the bed, bringing Beth by her side. Mamme smiled and reached out for a small baby who was cuddled in a young woman’s arms.
"It is traditional that the dressing of the wedding bed include this small ceremony," said the smiling grandmother. She took the baby in her arms and then gently placed him on the bed. She began to roll the baby on his side toward his mother on the other side of the bed.
"Um, Mamme, this is very beautiful, but what does it mean?" Reese looked at the baby on the bed and then looked into her grandmother’s eyes.
"It’s a fertility rite," said the old woman. "We are dressing the wedding bed to ensure that children will fill your heart and home."
Beth stifled a laugh and squeezed her lover’s hand. Babies, huh? Well, Reese hadn’t ruled it out. Maybe they should have rolled a puppy on the bed instead.
"Thank you, Mamme," said Reese. "I promise you that you will be the first to know when we have a baby."
The old woman smiled and took the baby from the bed. She handed him to Beth, who cradled him gently and kissed his forehead. Beth then gave the baby to Reese. The baby grabbed one of the taller woman’s long fingers and held it tight. Reese’s heart melted as she leaned down to kiss the baby on the cheek. She reluctantly gave the baby back to his mother.
"It’s late now," said Mamme. "And these two have to go back to Athens tomorrow. Everyone downstairs. My girls have a honeymoon to attend to."
After the women left the room, Mamme walked over to Beth and Reese and kissed them both. "Did you enjoy your reception?"
"It was wonderful Mamme," said Beth as she pulled the grandmother into an embrace. "I love you for making this day so special for us."
"Good," said the old woman. "I only want to see you happy. I’m going to check on your Pappos to make sure he hasn’t had too much Ouzo. We will talk more in the morning, my loves. Sweet dreams."
The door quietly closed as the old woman left the room. Reese walked behind Beth and slipped the sleeveless coat from her shoulders. Beth unhooked the buttons on her partner’s gold vest and slowly removed it. The gold garments were placed on a chair by the bed. The taller woman then kneeled and placed a kiss on her bride’s stomach. She reached underneath the long gown and pushed it up Beth’s body until it passed over her shoulders. The young blonde grabbed for her bride’s white gown and began to pull it up and over Reese’s head and arms. She then pushed Reese down on the pillows on the bed and slid her body on top of her partner’s. Reese laced her fingers through Beth’s hair and pulled her down for a long, lingering kiss.
Looking down at the tall beauty who she now held captive under her body, Beth gave her partner an evil grin. "I hope you ate your Wheaties today."
"Uh, huh, Wheaties…," murmured Reese as Beth began a trail of kisses down her neck. Gotta buy a whole lot of Wheaties.