“what do you mean you want to leave? Why can't you?” Nyarra asked, confusion in her
voice

“do you recall what I said about how a god's power comes from their followers? And
how that power can build up in their temple? Gods are constrained by that power as
well – they can only travel to where their power lies, and the amount of influence
they can exert depends on the power level of that area. If a god has very few
followers in an area, their power there is limited to minor doings. A higher number
of followers means more power and more freedom of action for the divine.”

Delphine turned to lay against Nyarra, her head resting on Nyarra's shoulder

“This city we are in, Dagesh, was the major centre of my power. Almost everyone who
lives – lived – here, was a devotee of my temple. Consequently, my temple absorbed
a great deal of power over the centuries of it's existence. It's why I can bring us
here from within the bounds of my temple; they are both focal points for my power.”

Delphine picked up her wine and took a sip

“but as the trade routes shifted, the city began to decline. The citizens moved
away. My power diminished, scattered through a myriad of small pockets of devotion
spread far and wide across the Southern Kingdoms, and even a few small pockets went
north. Eventually, even the city leaders knew there was little they could do to
sustain the dying city, and so they did what they had learned to do so very well;
they served the people they lead, and took the last of them away to live elsewhere.
I had taught them too well, and in the end my city and my temple were abandoned.”

Fresh tears began to stream down Delphine's face and she clung almost desperately
to Nyarra, like that of a frightened child not wanting to leave its mother. Nyarra
rocked her in her arms gently and stroked her hair to soothe the stricken woman.

They sat this way in silence for several minutes until the fresh spat of grief had
washed through Delphine.

“when the people left, there was no Mistress Delphine to go with them. They
remembered their lessons in how to serve, but they forgot where they had learned
them from. For the first couple of years, I was still able to wander the streets,
hoping to find some sign that the people would return. But my wandering only served
to drain the lingering energy from the city, and over time my circle grew smaller
and smaller, until all that remained was my temple.”

“that is why you cannot leave” Nyarra whispered sadly “there is no power outside of
your temple to draw upon”

“you understand”

“but you implied that you could leave, but you could not do it alone. What did you
mean by that?” Nyarra asked

“a divine being is able to channel their energy into a physical object, but they
are unable to carry that object themselves. It must be carried by another. Most of
the divines are content to let their power reside in their temple. It is safe, it
cannot be taken from them unless the temple is destroyed, and that task becomes
monumentally more difficult the more power resides there. It is why my temple has
survived in the state it has for all these centuries. I have learned that I could
channel the power that still resides within my temple into a smaller object that
could be carried or worn by another. As the object moved through the world, so to
could I move with it, remaining within the bounds of its influence. A radius of only
a few hundred yards, but still.....” Delphine's voice trailed off.

“What would become of your temple?”

“it would crumble to ruin in very short order. A matter of only days, now, I would
gather. Centuries of nature battering at its walls, all released in an instant.”

“and you brought me here because.......?”

“because you have the temperament to accept my token, and the strength to carry it
willingly”

“I must choose”

“yes”

“must I choose now?”

“no. There is time yet”

“Good. Because your lips taste of jasmine and honeysuckle, and I am hungry for
something sweet” Nyarra slipped her hand inside Delphine's dress and caressed her
breast. She then dipped her head down, her lips finding Delphine's and bestowing
upon her a deep, passionate kiss.

Delphine melted into Nyarra's kiss, centuries of desire and love welling up in her
chest. She wrapped her arms around Nyarra and held her close, pouring all of her
passion into their kiss. Rolling over, Nyarra lay Delphine down on the grass and
slipped the straps of her dress down off her shoulders, pulling the top down to free
her breasts. Breaking the kiss, Nyarra lowered her head and kissed her way
down Delphine's neck, a trail of soft butterfly kisses across her chest to her
bountiful breasts. She gently swirled her tongue around Delphine's nipples, kissing
them, taking them between her lips and gently sucking on them. Delphine tipped her
head back and moaned softly, her hands stroking Nyarra's head and shoulders. As she
continued to lavish attention on Delphine's breasts, Nyarra slid one hand down
under the front drape of her dress and pushed it aside, her fingers caressing
Delphine's silky smooth skin. Delphine laughed, a soft musical sound, when Nyarra
accidentally tickled her ribs. Her laughter turned to moans as Nyarra's hand slid lower,
caressing her belly, then gliding over her neatly trimmed patch of pubic
hair to brush against the outside of her pussy. As Delphine opened her legs for
Nyarra's probing fingers, she reached up and tugged at the laces of Nyarra's shirt,
letting her breasts spill out. Sitting up, Nyarra tugged her shirt off and tossed
it aside, then struggled out of her breeches, sticky as they were with dried cum.
Delphine took the opportunity to quickly tug her own dress off, tossing it aside as
well. Laying back down, Delphine smiled warmly at Nyarra and opened her legs,
revealing herself to Nyarra's hungry gaze.

Laying back down beside her, Nyarra draped one of her legs over Delphine's and
began to lavish attention on her breasts once again. Her hand slid down between
Delphine's legs once again gently rubbed her pussy, her hand working back and
forth, eliciting another moan. Delphine wiggled a hand between their bodies and 
began to gently caress and play with Nyarra's breasts while her other hand stroked
Nyarra's hair. Nyarra gently parted Delphine's labia with her fingers and started
rub gently inside her folds. Delphine clutched Nyarra's hair and moaned loudly. Her
moan turned to a gasp when Nyarra found her clit and began to rub it with her
thumb. Nyarra slowly pushed a finger into Delphine's pussy, then a second one,
working them in and out slowly while continuing to rub her clit. Delphine whimpered
softly when Nyarra withdrew her fingers, now wet and sticky with the woman's pussy
juice. Bringing her fingers up, Nyarra stuck them in her mouth and slowly sucked on
them, licking them clean of Delphine's sweetness. A look of bliss came over her face
when she pulled her fingers out of her mouth. Delphine pulled Nyarra's face up
to hers and kissed her, her tongue sliding across Nyarra's lips, pushing into her
mouth, tasting herself. Holding Nyarra's head in both hands, Delphine reluctantly
broke the kiss and looked into Nyarra's eyes.

“Nyarra, please......” she implored, a look of loving desperation on her face as
she began to gently push Nyarra down her body.

Taking the hint, Nyarra began to slowly kiss her way down Delphine's body, leaving
a trail of kisses down her breasts and over her belly, then nuzzling Delphine's
pubic hair. Nyarra re-positioned herself between Delphine's legs, wrapping her arms
under and around her thighs to hold her steady. Delphine sighed and moaned and
began to fondle her breasts as Nyarra planted soft little kisses on the inside of
her thighs, slowly working down closer to her wet sex. Delphine's hips twitched and
rose off the ground as she tried to get her pussy in contact with Nyarra's teasing
mouth. Nyarra slowly trailed her tongue down either side of Delphine's pussy, then
planted one soft kiss on her throbbing clit. Delphine squeezed her breasts and
moaned loudly, her hips rising again, desperately seeking Nyarra's mouth.

Taking a firm grip on Delphine's thighs, Nyarra slowly dragged her tongue down the
full length of her pussy, parting her lips with ease.

“oooooh....yes!” Delphine cried

Nyarra closed her eyes and licked her lips, savouring the sweet taste. Lowering her
head back down, Nyarra began to devour Delphine's pussy in earnest, using every
trick that she had learned to maximize Delphine's pleasure. It didn't take long for
Nyarra's ministrations to achieve the desired result, and soon enough Delphine's
hips were twitching and lifting, every stroke of Nyarra's tongue bringing her
closer and closer to orgasm

“oh...oh.....oh..Nyarra! I'm....I'm..I'm going to...” Delphine howled

Nyarra lapped her tongue through Delphine's dripping wet pussy, then clamped her
lips around her clit and sucked.

Hard

“Nyarra!....I'm....I'm cum.....I'm cumming!” Delphine screamed in pure joy as her
back arched and she pushed her gushing pussy harder into Nyarra's face. Nyarra held
Delphine tight as she came, her body twitching violently with the power of her
orgasm.

When her shaking had subsided somewhat, Nyarra slowly crawled her way up Delphine's
sweat damp body and gently kissed her, then rolled over onto her back on the grass
beside her. Delphine rolled over and curled herself up next to Nyarra, draping an
arm across her belly and resting her head on her breasts. As Nyarra cradled her and
gently stroked her hair, Delphine let out a very contented sigh.

“Thank you Nyarra. You cannot possibly imagine how long it has been since anyone
has done that for me” she breathed

Nyarra yawned and held Delphine tighter.

“gods, I am so tired” she said softly

Delphine snuggled in closer to Nyarra and sighed

“yes, sleep now Nyarra. There is still much to do”

Nyarra's eyes slowly closed and she drifted off, Delphine's warm body a comforting
presence beside her.