Free The Earth King’s Bounty by Cordova Skye

The Earth King’s Bounty
    N inia spread her arms , holding her body as still as she could while the priestesses bathed her. Gentle hands wielded rough cloths, dripped warm, perfumed water down her flesh; the water cooled quickly in the pre-dawn air of the temple, pebbling her skin and the pink buds of her nipples. She felt herself flush at the tightness, and had to resist the foolish urge to cover herself against the eyes of the priestesses. They had already seen her, all this past week, their keen eyes and deft fingers examining every inch of her body, ensuring that she was pure and unmarred.
    It would not do to offer the Earth King, god of the fields, keeper of the fertility of both crops and beasts, a less than perfect sacrifice.
    She tried not to dwell upon that overmuch as the priestesses finished their ministrations and helped her from the bath. Thick towels wrapped around her body, warming her pale skin and soaking the water from her long dark hair. Covered, shielded from the eyes of the older women, Ninia tried to ease her breathing. Her gaze rose to the temple's high-set windows as the priestesses began to divide and comb out the heavy length of her hair. The barest hint of light filtered through the eastmost windows, the stained glass spilling blue light upon the walls, giving the room a watery cast.
    It would be hours, still, before the procession began winding through the streets of the city. Only a few hours, too long and not long enough. The ceremony itself would have already begun, workers going down to the sacred field, ensuring all of the previous year's deadfall was removed, turning the earth and clearing rocks away. The priests would follow, blessing the land, their chants and songs imploring the attention of the gods while Ninia was carried through the streets to be seen and witnessed by the entire city before the procession finally wound its way to the field, and the fresh turned bed of sanctified earth.
    The bed of earth where Ninia would be lain, naked save for wreaths of dried flowers, for the Earth King to take as his bride.
    It made her shiver in spite of the warm towels, her flesh rising and nipples crinkling tight as if once again exposed to the chill of the air. Sacrifice to the Earth King was a great honor, one she was fortunate to have been chosen for; she told herself that, as her mother had told her over and over on the day the priests came to their village and made their selection. If the god accepted her, it would do more than ensure the year's harvest, it would ease the weight of the church's tithes on her family and neighbors. Ninia shut her eyes, remembering the looks of hope and gratitude as she had been taken. She would do this, for them, and she...
    She did not know, truly, what would become of her. She had heard tales, both those told by the church and the darker stories whispered among the elders. The church claimed the brides grew to their full glory, filled by the god's power, nearly goddesses themselves in the cycle of their year. The whispered stories, though, spoke of souls burned away by the god's passions, women who faded and failed before their term was over, women the god would not come to at all.
    Ninia prayed silently, for herself, for her family, that she would be one of the strong ones. One of the ones who would attract the god, win his pleasure, and grow in power until her place was taken by next spring's bride.
    The light was brighter when she finally opened her eyes, her hair dressed in elaborate braids. The priestesses unwrapped the towel from around her, brisk hands rubbing oil into her flesh. Their touch brought color and warmth to her skin, pushed some of her dread away. She had been chosen, she was being prepared, and she would be pleasing to the Earth King. He would take her as his bride, and she would be strong for him, for her people, as her mother had always taught her to be strong. She was the daughter of farm folk, after all; strength ran in her blood, the