Free Aries Fire by Elaine Edelson Page B

than she wanted to be sexual. She didn’t know exactly what that meant or how to go about defining it, so she left the thought alone. One distinct overall impression remained, however… Seira felt freer, not so confined within her body. A dull headache that plagued her for days suddenly disappeared.
    A faint tapping on her door distracted Seira from her thoughts.
    “Mistress?” 
    Seira rose slowly from the edge of her cot and opened the door enough to see Lem’s large and drooping face.
    “Will you not come up and take some supper?” 
    “I’m not too hungry, it seems, Lem.  I’ll stay in for now.”  Before she closed the door, Seira opened it wider and took hold of Lem’s arm.
    “Thank you, Lem,” she said. 
    He nodded deliberately to acknowledge her.
    Seira stood and stared at the portal.  She thought about attending to her belongings, but her more immediate matter was escaping from Lem and traveling the distance to Jerusalem.  According to Alexander, the Ishtar would see Ashkelon by early morning the latest.  At least she had a little time to plan.
    She quickly spilled her coins onto the table and counted—five hundred.  She had enough to last a while.
    Thank you, dear and generous, Theon. 
    A streak of light spread across her hand that sat fisted on the wooden table.  She looked up at the portal. The sun would set in a few hours.  Seira thought it was perhaps time to rejoin the activities about the ship and extract information where she could. She stuffed the coins into her hidden waist purse, left her cabin, and walked topside.
    The air was fresh and it encouraged her to stroll about the deck. Lem was playing his odds at coin toss.  He looked up and saw her. She waved for him to continue his fun.  These men weren’t going to bother her. She knew it as well as Lem.
     They neared the coastal port of Tel Ajiul.  Ashkelon wasn’t far according to the crewman’s talk. She was optimistic and in a pleasant mood. The ocean was a beautiful color.  She actually began to enjoy the motion of the Ishtar atop the water.  It matched the unusual calm in her body. Leaning against the gunwale she closed her eyes and felt the spray on her face.  The wind picked up and the ship sailed at a pace that suited Seira.
    Alexander soon approached.
    “Thank you for the shoes,” she said, smiling and pointing her right foot in his direction.  The garnet and amethyst stones sparkled.
    “It’s a small token.  We are honored by your presence.”
    “What types of merchandise do you carry, aside from shoes and fish?” 
    The cool air and sporadic ocean spray tickled her neck and enticed her to play.
    “Oh, fabrics, clay, sometimes fruit, but usually there is no usual.  Whomever has the money to hire us is the best policy.”
    “Like Theon?” 
    She ran her fingers across her forehead, over her ear, and pulled her hair gently out toward the undulating sea.  Each wisp was taken up by the wind before she glanced toward the ocean again. The strands of flying hair teased and tickled her face. It was more than sensual comfort and more than a sexual feeling.  It was an almost all consuming pleasure, but not the erupting pleasure she felt on her cot.  Seira felt like she was floating in honey.  It was a sweet, slow wave of ecstasy that needed no release. She hadn’t felt this free before much less inclined to knowingly and publicly exhibit this behavior. Seira smiled and invited him into her sensual dance. 
    “We don’t usually carry people as cargo,” he laughed.
    He smiled as he watched her take delight in the sea-spray, breeze, and flying hair. 
    “I made an exception in this case,” he said.
    “I see,” she said with her eyes closed, head tilted back.
    Alexander lightly stroked the back of her hand then suddenly pulled away.
    “Shall I tell you more about Jerusalem?” he asked, clearing his throat.
    “Oh, yes,” she said. Seira gave him her full attention. “If you have time now,” she