New Love, Old Love
Once he sees that the group is definitely calling it a night Nanuet eagerly takes Minerva by the hand. Weary from the events of the last few days, he feels a reserve of strength surge into his body. He says a hurried goodnight to his friends and steers Minerva toward the door.
When they step outside he effortlessly scoops her off her feet and into his arms. Smiling ever so slightly as he ponders his response… he says "You have already shown me the ways of love Minerva, but you are saying that 'now is the time' for me to take you to my bed, my love, I am honored to do so."
When Nanuet picks Minerva up she wraps her arms around his neck, buries her face in his shoulder begins to giggle uncontrollably. “We must do this properly, mi Amor. It would not do to just run off into the woods. A tribute to Dionysus must be paid… A bottle of wine! We must have a bottle of wine!”
Nanuet smiles widely in response to Minerva's giddy giggles. He sets the Spanish beauty down. “Stay put! Don’t move. NOT an inch! I’ll be right back!” he says giving her a quick kiss before he sprints back to the Lucky Lady.
"Niles! I need your best bottle of wine, pronto!" he says, slightly winded. He throws a crumpled up $5 bill on the bar and grabs a bottle that Mr. Hoover is examining right from under his nose. "Thanks!” he says, rushing out the door.
The flustered Indian stops in mid stride his features even redder than usual and almost falls down the porch steps as he reverses his tracks back into the Lucky Lady. Jeff meets him at the door, already holding the corkscrew. Nanuet grabs it from him and Jeff winks a knowing wink. Nanuet can hear him laughing as he runs back to the spot where he left his soon to be lover. Armed with his offering to Dionysus, he arrives out of breath but manages a huge grin as he proudly holds out his prize.
"Where are the glasses mi Amor? She asks and then waves her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Ah, It does not matter. We will make do. Come!" She grabs his hand and they run down the street, laughing like a couple of naughty children.
Shortly they arrive at the grove across the street from the El Parador. Nanuet hands the bottle and corkscrew to Minerva and then as he has done before, scoops her off her feet and into his arms. He breathes deeply of the air saturated with the scent of Minerva's perfumes and oils. He kisses her passionately for a long moment before stepping under the canopy of the grove.
”MMMM, Wait mi amor.” She responds with a throaty laugh, fighting the buzz of pleasure that threatens to envelope her senses. We must do this correctly if we are to acquire the blessing of the gods.” She dances her fingers through his hair and wiggles out of his arms to stand facing him.
”You said that you wished to learn how to pray to the gods of Rome. Si? Will you let me show you how? Now, before you show me the ways of love?”
"I had other ideas on the timing,” he says, drawing her close to him. “But elves are supposed to be patient people, so I will be open to your teachings. It would not be wise of me to refuse the teachings of a messenger of any god now would it?"
She nods delightedly and takes him by the hand as a bolt of Jupiter lights the sky. “First we must drink to the Glory of Dionysus, and then I will show you the proper way to make ourselves pleasing to the gods.”
Nanuet opens the bottle and they toast.
Minerva, ever the preacher, begins what seems to be a wordy speech and although Nanuet starts listening intently he soon becomes distracted by her lovely smell and begins nuzzling her neck, pausing now and again to drink from the bottle. She giggles softly as he does so and does her best to concentrate and finish her toast properly, but soon gives up.
“Nanuet, you are not paying attention. Here let me help you with that.” She says pulling the bottle from him to take a long swallow. They continue to share the wine and enjoy one another’s playful touch until the bottle lies empty on the blanket beside them. Her breath quickens as he continues his explorations, “Now,” she says, the word ‘now’ sounding more like a moan of pleasure, “It is time to honor the gods.”
She pushes herself from him and taking him by the hand pulls him up off the blanket. The preacher in her takes charge once again, “You have seen me perform the Moon Ceremony before, when we visited the Apache. This ceremony is quite similar, except that, tonight, there is no moon in the heavens," she says as another rumble of thunder rocks the distant hills, “and I will be anointing you with ceremonial oils, but first we must remove our clothes,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.
The wine is already affecting the elf as he smiles widely at Minerva and rubs his hands together. "OK! I am starting to like this prayer ceremony more and more. First wine and now removing of the clothing." A broad smile comes across his face as he eagerly sheds his clothing.
Minerva's laugh dies in her throat as he stands before her, looking very much like the wild savage that he is. Her eyes grow large and her mouth runs dry as she fights the sudden panic clawing it’s way up her throat, No, nothing at all like the sheep back in Spain. She shivers with apprehension as she works to steady her breathing.
Nanuet, noticing the sudden fear on her face, waits patiently for her to decide what she will do. She turns her back to him momentarily so that he may help her with the buttons of her gown and when she turns to face him once more, he watches intently as she slowly and delicately removes her gown and reveals herself to the gods and to her man.
To hide her nervousness she retrieves her bag and busies herself pulling out the vials of oil that she used earlier in the evening to anoint her own flesh. She turns back to Nanuet, once again the priestess of Olympus, and faces him unselfconsciously in her innocence. She steps close to him and removes the amulet that Kajika gave them to block the influence of Ahphrodite. “It is not right that we should remain deaf to the voice of love. We need not be afraid any longer since the balance of power has been restored.”
Taking his hands in hers, she raises their joined arms to the heavens and prays in English in her clear, high Spanish accent. “Father Jupiter, Mother Minerva, Venus goddess of love, Dionysus and all the 12 powers of Olympus. May our union be pleasing to you in whose image we are created."
The pair stands close together unmoving, and unaware of the outside world as the tension of the storm builds between, around and within them. The already frantic music of the wind picks up it’s tempo to whip about them as the god lights the sky with his thunderbolts revealing the beauty and splendor of his children.
Her eyes remain on his as she watches them grow dark with a primitive hunger.
He does not flinch, and enforces his iron will, determined to be patient and gentle with his uninitiated lover. He stands perfectly still while she dips her finger in the oil and places it on his brow- “for wisdom to keep your thoughts clear; she says in a soft voice. His heart -“to keep it open to the love you will give and receive this night;” she says with a slight tremble in her voice. When she anoints his body on other secret places, sacred to the gods – “as a sign of their blessing and to insure their favor,” he is no longer able to contain the raging passion within. He pulls her roughly to him and as they fall to the blanket, lightning strikes again causing several birds to take flight from the trees, the flash illuminating their writhing forms now melded together as one. Bonded in flesh as well as spirit, their sounds of pleasure are lost to the rolling thunder as the storm unleashes its power. He holds himself above her and looks into her eyes before his mouth closes over hers, muffling her startled cry and together they ride the storm.
* * *
Back in their room, Ruby plops on the bed and swings her legs back and forth like a schoolgirl. She speaks out suddenly, “Can we go for a ride? I’d like to get out of this city. I need some air, I really do Jake.”
"Are you sure you are up to it?" Jake looks concerned but then, "Hades, what am I saying, there isn't anything that can stop you. Sure, we can go for a ride."
Ruby pulls her hair back into a messy knot while she dresses in her thin white skirt and blouse. She doesn’t bother with shoes. She goes to her vanity and picks up her olive leaf pendant, wrapping it around her neck. She grabs two bottles of bourbon off their table and a blanket. She stops before she leaves the room and spots her red rose on her nightstand. She hurries back in and very carefully wraps the stem in a napkin, bringing it along.
They make their way through the town over to the stables. Jake takes them quietly and stealthily across the town, being careful to avoid notice and watching for who is watching them. He tries to hide that from Ruby. Most of the people on the streets are cleaning up or packing up after the festival but there are still a good amount wandering around. Jake prepares Ruby's black stallion, putting the blanket and bottles in the saddlebags, then hops up. He reaches down and offers a hand to Ruby, pulling her up behind him. She wraps her arms around him tightly and leans herself up against him.
Jake turns his head back to Ruby, "Where are we headed Princess?"
Ruby answers, "That nice spot upstream of the mill," then grips him tighter. Jake is careful to look about when they leave and heads out in the wrong direction first and then turns out of town cutting across the desert to get to the proper trails. Ruby doesn't pay any attention to her lovers crazy directions.
As they ride to their favorite quiet spot the cool of evening begins descend on them. The moon is just visible over the familiar fertile area of the stream surrounded by the broad leaf trees and thick bushes that do not grow away from the water in the harsh Arizona desert.
Jake slides off the horse and helps Ruby down. He ties the horse to a nearby tree and tends to him while Ruby sets up the blanket on the soft grasses. She unpacks the two bottles of bourbon and unwraps the rose. Ruby takes a drink of the bourbon and offers some to Jake while he works.
Ruby waits for Jake to sit on the blanket and she sits on his lap facing him. Pressing her full lips against Jake’s she kisses him passionately before pulling away only slightly and looking him in his twinkling brown eyes. “I wanted to come out here so we could thank Aphrodite together. This is what I had in mind all along, just you and I, the way it should always be.” She offers Jake another drink of bourbon and takes one of her own.
"It is a relief that all the Cowboy nonsense is over, at least for now. I told you we'd come out fine. I will admit,” Jake says reluctantly, "That it didn't all go as well as I anticipated." All in a brief moment his thoughts go racing back to those seconds when he discovered Ringo, heard his thoughts, knew that Ringo was firing the round that would seek out Ruby. He relives the split second decision that came to Jake's mind; Do I try to kill Ringo with the knife and disarm him or do I take the bullet myself? I was wrong and I almost lost you. He suppresses a shudder. His lips just barely crack a smile. "Yes, yes I know, it never goes as well as I anticipated. No matter. You are whole and we are here together, that is all that is important."
They are silent for some time, enjoying the bourbon, the quiet and the warmth of each other.
Finally Ruby reaches across the blanket to the perfect red rose, holding it delicately in her hand. She takes Jake’s hand, opening his palm to the sky. First she runs her fingers lightly over his soft palm. Then she bends forward and kisses each finger and the center of his hand before holding up the rose before his face. She takes the stem and suddenly presses a large thorn into his palm, deep enough to draw a drop of blood.
"Hey! Oww!" Jake looks at his palm and back to Ruby. "Why did you do that?"
Ruby holds up her hand, palm up. She hands Jake the rose and waits expectantly.
Hesitantly he pokes her with the thorn, but it does not draw blood. "Oh, Hades," he mutters and clumsily punctures her tender palm with the already blooded point.
After they have matching bloodied palms Ruby pushes their palms flat, intertwining their fingers, mixing the drops together. “No matter what happens or where we are, we will always be a part of each other now. You’ll always be in me and I’ll always be in you.” They hear some rumbling in the distance and Ruby looks to the sky, still starry over them. She furrows her brows, “Is that thunder?”
She goes back to gazing at Jake. “I meant what I said earlier, there is no Ruby without her Jake. At least I don’t ever want there to be.” She smiles at him, “I hope you feel the same.” She kisses his palm over the small wound.
"It feels right, girl." Jake withholds his thought about hope. "We will just have to make certain that nothing gets in our way. I don't want to imagine not having you with me." He thoughtfully glances at his palm.
“You won’t have to.” She reaches out and pushes some hair off his forehead. “Now, let’s thank the gods, shall we?”
Ruby tries to be serious but giggles a couple of times before she calms down and a solemn expression comes to her face. She closes her eyes, then opens them and gently runs her fingers over Jake’s eyelids, closing them. “We’re praying,” she whispers, like he should know, and closes her eyes again. “Aphrodite… beautiful goddess of love… watching over us from your home above… we thank you for your favor towards us and ask you to please continue to send to us your blessings on our love and our lives.” She continues softly, “I especially ask that you look with favoring eyes on this man… protect him and keep him safe always but even more so when I can’t… because as you have planned it he is everything I could want or need… he is my world and my destiny.”
“In return we offer you what we have… the only thing really real in our lives…our love for each other…certain, strong and true… and our desire for each other… also certain, strong and true.” Jake hears a little giggle escape from Ruby.
“Oh and Hermes, we thank you too…for giving us the luck to find each other and making us wise enough to get your message.”
Ruby is silent for a long moment. “Anything else you want to add baby?”
"No, you have said it quite well."
Ruby pulls her clothes off over her head slowly and drops them aside leaving her body naked to Jake and the moonlit sky. Her skin still shimmers from the costume she wore the night before and her curves are accentuated by the pale light. She helps Jake wiggle out of his too then slides herself back on his lap. His lean body, muscular yet smooth, welcomes her as if she was always meant to be right there. She feels her heart speeding up for what seemed like the thousandth time in the past couple of days as her body presses against his, her breathing quickens as she smells his musky scent, his strong deft hands moving over her sends shivers up and down her spine.
She nuzzles Jake’s neck, her lips leisurely moving down his shoulder and to his chest, covering him with light pecks. Her eyes rise to meet his, her lips swollen with kisses. “How is it after all this time you still make me want you so badly?” she whispers breathlessly.
"Were you reading my thoughts again?" he replies quietly.
Ruby places both her hands on Jake’s smooth face and looks deep into his eyes before she presses her lips to him again.
As they make love they hear the thunder claps growing closer and finally the rain comes, the cool drops washing the sweat from their bodies. Ruby turns her face to the sky and laughs as they get drenched. “I love the rain!” she giggles, dripping with water. “Surely it is a sign…” Her voice trails off as she turns her face back to Jake, water dripping off his nose, hair soaking wet, sweaty, tired from the long couple of days. She gives him the warmest and most adoring smile she has. “You really must love me a lot.”
"Ruby, you are the air that I breathe and nourishment for my withered soul." He squeezes her a little and adds, "Plus the gratification and balm for my more human longings as well."
“You always know the perfect thing to say and do to make me happy. I don’t know why I had to wait so long to find you but whatever the reason, it was well worth it.”
They carry on thanking the goddess, the rain continuing to fall, the cool drops caressing their bodies. Their gasps, laughs and moans echo off the landscape and rise to the heavens unhindered.
The rain stops just as they finish. The corner of Ruby’s lips turn upward and she says breathlessly, “I think the goddess is pleased, do you agree?”
"I don't see how she couldn't be. I certainly am. I've nothing better to offer her."
Ruby just continues smiling and kisses Jake again before falling back on the blanket. The sky clears above them and the bright stars come back out from their hiding place. As the light from the moon peeks through the clouds Jake lies next to Ruby and they lay silently, gazing at the stars.
Without moving her gaze from the sky Ruby takes Jake's hand and whispers, "Forever, starry nights and certain love."
Jake lays his other hand over their clasped hands and smiles up at the sky. "Forever…"
After an undetermined amount of time Ruby snuggles up to Jake, wrapping herself around him. It isn't long before Jake hears her soft sighs of sleep.
Jake stays awake for some time just watching her sleep, thought he tries to stay awake eventually he nods off as well.
