Miria Gets Lucky -- Part 3

"Miss Tabitha?"  Luciela appeared without warning from behind the heavily-leafed rose trellis, startling a daydreaming Tabitha.  Her tread as light as a cat's in the deepening shadow, the older student greeted her with a gentle gleam in her fringed, amber eyes.  She extended an ivory-white hand with long fingers and brushed Tabitha's own with a kiss.

Tabitha blushed furiously and fumbled with her long braid; although she had eyes only for Miria, there was nary an underclassman who was not bowled over by the charm of a gallant onee-sama-- even one from the West wing.

"Lady Galatea greatly anticipated your attendance, and asked me to thank you as well."

"She really said that?"  Galatea was certainly gracious and considerate of everyone in her social circles, but the individual attention was flattering to say the least.

Luciela placed a long, delicate finger upon her chin and regarded Tabitha with a gentle quirk on her ruby-red lips.  "Deep in thought, my dear?  There's so much socializing to be had!"

"Oh, well..." Tabitha shuffled her feet.  "I just felt like enjoying the gardens for a while... er, how is Priscilla?"

"Just lovely, thank you.  Of course, it would have been a trouble for her to be here, but she is busy playing dress-up right now.  I swear, yesterday she was so pleased with her new tiger costume that she nearly set it on fire."  Luciela chuckled.  "That would be, oh, the second time this week!  But really, I came to let you in on a little secret."  She paused to watch the twinkle surfacing in the girl's eye.  "I happen to know someone else in the gardens tonight who would *particularly* enjoy your company."

"R-really?" The lovestruck first-year's mind raced, running through any number of wild, preposterous wishes.  

'Miss Miria..' she thought. No,it just *couldn't* be!

Luciela reached for an ebony velvet bag that dangled from a silk cord on her waist. "I heard, from a little bird, that you might need a bit of confidence."  When her hand emerged from the bag, she held up a tiny and exquisitely crafted crystal bottle, the contents of which seemed to sparkle a mystical violet.  Delicately, she uncapped the bottle, releasing a heady scent.  Tabitha was familiar with quite a few herbal potions, tinctures and arcane ingredients but she had never smelt the likes of this.  It contained a strong undercurrent of rich, metallic blood and sweet flesh... but a most ethereal intermingling of soft floral elements, pure air, and a warm tinge of gold.  "A closely guarded recipe.  I'm sure you'll understand."

"Such... a strange feeling," Tabitha breathed, wide-eyed.  "I've never sensed anything like it."  She was dizzy from the tingling in her limbs; it felt like the air was pricking her skin with thousands of tiny sparks.  Her etheric body hovered, extending several inches around her physical matter.  "What is this?"

"I'm going to take a slight liberty with your space, lovely creature."  Luciela dipped a finger into the bottle and held it up for Tabitha to admire the sparkling particles.  With a swift motion, she lowered the neckline of Tabitha's modest party dress and pressed the precious dust into the cleft of her breast.

"What-- what are you doing?!"

The beautiful, imposing upperclassman withdrew as quickly as she had administered her touch.  "I do apologize; it was necessary to access your heart's vibration.  Before long, you'll be accustomed to the feeling."  Chastely, she replaced the cloth over Tabitha's quivering chest.  "Truth be told, darling, there's really no trick to the art of lovemaking-- or to facilitating its germination.  It's merely a simple, elegant matter of chemistry.  And that's my only secret."

Tabitha began to relax, her momentary embarrassment replaced by epiphany.  "I see..."  A love potion was the whole of Luciela's matchmaking talent?  As familiar with the occult as she was, even Tabitha couldn't help being slightly skeptical, but she was open to any possibility.

Within the space of a breath, Luciela was fixing her gaze with those strange amber eyes, speaking low in an unintelligible purr of a mantra.  Tabitha's awareness sharpened to a feverish sensitivity; She had no idea what Luciela was saying, but somehow it sounded so right.  

"Now, go... while your pull is irresistible," said Luciela as she broke the hypnotic spell.  She gestured discreetly toward a shaded corner of the garden, where the goldfish pond glittered and a lone figure sat in isolation.  Smiling slyly, she watched Tabitha making her way to the intended target.  As long as the girl never found out what was *in* that stuff...

____

It was just like Helen to be rude-- but this time she had gone too far.  Miria glared across the garden at the quarrelling pair of Helen and Deneve.  Now, everyone knew; Helen's loose tongue spread the cruel epithet far and wide.  The usually unflappable president heard snickering voices everywhere she went.  In fact, she thought, it was a mistake to accept this invitation; she ended up alone anyway, dwelling upon her newly raw insecurities.  At least the straight, knee-length skirt and modest blouse she had chosen made her feel safer from prying eyes.

"Miss Miria?"

A voice as small as a mouse's made her open her eyes again.  Tabitha?  Miria's face turned pale.  Ever since... that night, she hadn't known what to say to the girl, whose feelings seemed quite delicate.  With no one around to break the tension, she felt trapped.

"Good evening, Tabitha," she offered pleasantly.  If she let her composure slip, it could become a problem.

"Umm."  Tabitha started to speak.  'Just be natural, it should start to work any minute now,' she assured herself, but the clumsy subject of their last meeting pressed at her conscience.  It was too difficult to play at being blithe.  "Miss Miria, I wanted to apologize for how I acted.  Sometimes I get... funny when I'm asleep.  I didn't mean any disrespect, I just didn't know what I was doing."  'Lies and taffy, Tabitha-- you knew exactly what you were doing,' she thought ruefully, unable to shake the guilt.

"No need to apologize.  You didn't do anything wrong."  

'But why did it feel so strange?' Miria wondered.  She hadn't done anything either, after all.  Tabitha's visible relief gladdened her anyway, as she hated conflict.

"Oh, I'm so happy to hear that!  I was--"

Miria perked up and interrupted.  "Tabitha... what's that smell?"

"Oh!  Uh... it's my... herbal perfume.  I mixed it myself," she stuttered.  

"It smells so... unusual."  Miria took a deep breath; actually, she found herself feeling intensely relaxed.  'Must be aromatherapy,' she decided.  It was far more pleasant, though, than any ordinary candle, incense or essential oil she could remember.  The deliciously warm scent made her lonely for some companionship, and she edged over a bit on the stone bench.  "I'm sorry.  Do you want to sit down?"

"Really?" Miria nodded, and Tabitha's heart pounded as she took a seat, feeling the warmth of the president's body and almost losing herself in a memory.  More than ever, she longed to be close to Miria: to enjoy her warmth, to be lulled into sleep by her steady breathing, to bury her face in that beautiful hair...  With a tear swelling in her eye, she went silent.  Of course it was useless.

"Tabitha, does my ass really wiggle when I walk?"

"Eh! W-what?!  I never noticed,"  Tabitha lied, turning scarlet from her breastbone to the tips of the ears.

"Helen said that I'm, well, *sexy*.  I wanted to get an objective opinion."  Her curiosity seemed utterly genuine.

Tabitha was too flabbergasted to speak.  As for why her opinion on the subject of Miria might be considered objective, she couldn't imagine.

"I mean, no one ever really asks me out," the older girl continued.

Tabitha gulped.  "Well, uh, Miss Miria, I'd be afraid to ask you out too.  You're so, uhm... amazing." Immediately, she cursed her rebellious lips.  'Damn, damn, damn! what in the Goddesses' names is wrong with you, Tabitha?'

"Somehow, when you say it--" Miria mused, "it sounds so sincere.  Thank you, Tabitha."  The younger woman's presence was comforting.  Perhaps it really wasn't so bad, after all.  "Do *you* think I'm sexy?"  She lifted her hand to stroke Tabitha's braid;  the gesture was almost... obscene.

"Eh-- guh-- uh-- wha... God, yes!"

"Tabitha, how come you look so soft?  I never noticed before."  

In slow motion, Tabitha saw her beloved's beautiful face descending upon her.  "Miss Miria-- mmmmph!"  Miria's hot mouth melded with her own, tongue probing her lips and savoring the taste.  Tabitha's astral experience over spring break had been mindblowing, but it was nothing compared to this kind of heaven.  

"Why so polite?" Miria asked, her lips glistening from the kiss.  "You did sleep in my bed, after all."  Her dreamy, almond-shaped hazel eyes made Tabitha melt inside.

"Y-yes... yes, Miria!"  The stunned, panting girl had barely taken a breath before Miria threw a leg over her hips, and began to devour her neck with the ferocity of a tigress.  As the passionate older girl pressed her powerful body closer into the silky, untouched curves of the younger, the two merged into one writhing shape.  The magical sensation of that fairy-dust intensified until all she could feel was Miria: her ceaseless hands, her heat, her strong heartbeat.  It was going to be a very long night.

___

From a distance, Galatea and Luciela admired the fruits of their teamwork.  The amorous sounds coming from the pond had drawn curious onlookers, but even their squealing, tittering and occasional shouts of "Go for it Miria!!" could not deter the proceedings.

"I have to hand it to you, Luciela.  Another miracle accomplished!  I thought we'd never crack this one."

Luciela bowed.  "Couldn't have done it without your hospitality.  Reminds me, I should thank Agatha and Rosemary for their contributions as well."

Galatea looked askance at her associate, but merely chuckled knowingly.  Sometimes the end justified the means.

"Onee-sama, may I be excused to lie down?  My knees hurt," piped a shrill, girlish voice somewhere in the vicinity of the floor.

"Hmm." Galatea considered the request carefully, though she was partially occupied by the echoing moans.  "It would be fine to lie down, but with this development... I don't think I'm quite ready."

"Yes, Onee-sama," Flora consented.  "But--"

"Don't worry your pretty head, honey-pie.  Say, Luciela, you lot in the West like to have fun, don't you?"  Galatea licked her lips.  "Let's find out what's under that beast of a skirt..."

"Ah, well.  I may need a favor from you sometime."  Luciela shrugged and began to loosen her whalebone corset.  Yes, the ends *did* justify the means.

Flora squeaked in fear.  "Be... be gentle-- mmph!"