For muse_playground
Notes: on_holy_ground (Darius) was used with mun permission. This piece does not exist in any time line and is so AU it is in another galaxy. Written for the twisted desires of catwoman28
2008.2) "If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything." - Win Borden
Father Darius had been spending the past week at the church. Much to Peninnah’s delight they had started doing chores together and he was teaching her to read. She was desperate to learn to read and felt at times like an overly eager child. Every moment spent with him was making her happier. It wasn’t an emotion she often felt. Though she had on occasion with Corwin this was different. All she could assume was that it was the amount of time that had passed together had created a strong friendship between the two.
This day she was helping him prepare for a wedding service that would take place the following day. Her tasks complete she went to ask if anything else could be done before the end of the evening. She had not even thought when she stepped into his quarters though she quickly regretted her innocent boldness. He stood there undressed from the waist up as he dried his face with a towel. Peninnah had so rarely seen anyone without full attire and stared at him rather curiously until he turned.
“I didn’t hear you come in.”
As soon as she met his eyes her cheeks flushed hot and she had to look away. “I…I’m sorry to have interrupted you. I can return later.”
“There is no harm done.”
Peninnah glanced up at Darius as he approached. Inside she felt the strongest desire to run from the room. There was an oppressive and dizzying feeling building in her that she had never felt before this moment. Again she looked away but there was no hiding his approach from her senses. They were all heightened well beyond human limits and at this moment they seemed even stronger. His soft footsteps sounded loud as marching in her ears and the smell of soap pressed in around her.
“Is something wrong Peninnah?” His voice was soothing as he spoke to her.
She took a deep breath before nodding in response. She was afraid to speak for the dry feeling that suddenly took over her throat. A hand touched her cheek and turned her eyes up to his. There was concern in his expression.
“You seem afraid. Has something happened?”
Her eyes were wide when she was once more staring in his eyes. There were no words for what had happened. She didn’t know and didn’t have the vocabulary to express them. She had a means of telling him but was afraid to use it because she had never asked to.
“I don’t know.” It was the only honest answer she could imagine. She could see the confusion and curiosity in his expression. He wanted something more but she had no explanation for the feeling. Her mind raced with a need to explain it but all she could think of was the hand, warm on her cheek. Peninnah’s heart raced right along with her thoughts as she gazed up at Darius. Something about his presence made her feel delicate and so much less of the abomination she often saw.
Darius began to remove his hand from her cheek and instinctually her own covered it holding it there. She didn’t know why but Peninnah wanted his hand to stay there. The confusion in his eyes mirrored her own internal turmoil to the point that thought faded. The animal instinct that feared nothing came to the surface. Before she knew what her body had done Peninnah was on her tiptoes pressing her lips to his. It wasn’t much of a kiss because she was completely naïve of what a kiss consisted of but it was the action of one.
Terror surged when she realized what she was doing. He was a priest, a man of God. Peninnah gasped in shock, pulling back but his hand stopped her from going far. Something was happening between them. It felt like static between them on a hot day. Her hands pressed to his bare chest but didn’t push. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to stay or run from the room. Caught in indecision she brushed her fingers over the first bare skin she’d touched that normally lay hidden beneath clothes. It was soft and warm beneath her fingers like the smooth, comforting cotton of her robes. Her robes, she be came aware suddenly that her head cover had fallen free and all of her black tress was tumbling out over her shoulders.
His hand was in her hair, brushing through the curls. His lips had convinced hers to open yet she had no idea when. His tongue was there in her mouth but that wasn’t where she felt the sensation. The sensation was everywhere, hot like the summer sun on her skin and tingling in such a peculiar way. One touch brought sense to it all as his hand slid around her hips. Suddenly she became all too aware of what they were doing.
Shame burned hotter than any other feeling. She nearly stumbled back from him. Darius’ hands slipped away from her body but she could still feel them, still feel his lips. Her hand pressed to her lips as she backed away. What sin had she committed? What sin had she brought upon him with that kiss? Peninnah looked away in humiliation as his questioning gaze met hers.
What had she done? A deep part of her wept until the tears surfaced in her eyes from the very depths of her soul. She had sinned and brought that disgrace upon another. Peninnah fled from the room crying. It was the turmoil she could not stand. It was wrong but it felt right. It was wrong and yet she knew that was what she yearned for. She was nothing but an abomination that lived in false pretense of being worth of God’s work. Perhaps, she thought now, God had been right in punishing her for failure. Perhaps it would come again.
2008.2) "If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything." - Win Borden
Father Darius had been spending the past week at the church. Much to Peninnah’s delight they had started doing chores together and he was teaching her to read. She was desperate to learn to read and felt at times like an overly eager child. Every moment spent with him was making her happier. It wasn’t an emotion she often felt. Though she had on occasion with Corwin this was different. All she could assume was that it was the amount of time that had passed together had created a strong friendship between the two.
This day she was helping him prepare for a wedding service that would take place the following day. Her tasks complete she went to ask if anything else could be done before the end of the evening. She had not even thought when she stepped into his quarters though she quickly regretted her innocent boldness. He stood there undressed from the waist up as he dried his face with a towel. Peninnah had so rarely seen anyone without full attire and stared at him rather curiously until he turned.
“I didn’t hear you come in.”
As soon as she met his eyes her cheeks flushed hot and she had to look away. “I…I’m sorry to have interrupted you. I can return later.”
“There is no harm done.”
Peninnah glanced up at Darius as he approached. Inside she felt the strongest desire to run from the room. There was an oppressive and dizzying feeling building in her that she had never felt before this moment. Again she looked away but there was no hiding his approach from her senses. They were all heightened well beyond human limits and at this moment they seemed even stronger. His soft footsteps sounded loud as marching in her ears and the smell of soap pressed in around her.
“Is something wrong Peninnah?” His voice was soothing as he spoke to her.
She took a deep breath before nodding in response. She was afraid to speak for the dry feeling that suddenly took over her throat. A hand touched her cheek and turned her eyes up to his. There was concern in his expression.
“You seem afraid. Has something happened?”
Her eyes were wide when she was once more staring in his eyes. There were no words for what had happened. She didn’t know and didn’t have the vocabulary to express them. She had a means of telling him but was afraid to use it because she had never asked to.
“I don’t know.” It was the only honest answer she could imagine. She could see the confusion and curiosity in his expression. He wanted something more but she had no explanation for the feeling. Her mind raced with a need to explain it but all she could think of was the hand, warm on her cheek. Peninnah’s heart raced right along with her thoughts as she gazed up at Darius. Something about his presence made her feel delicate and so much less of the abomination she often saw.
Darius began to remove his hand from her cheek and instinctually her own covered it holding it there. She didn’t know why but Peninnah wanted his hand to stay there. The confusion in his eyes mirrored her own internal turmoil to the point that thought faded. The animal instinct that feared nothing came to the surface. Before she knew what her body had done Peninnah was on her tiptoes pressing her lips to his. It wasn’t much of a kiss because she was completely naïve of what a kiss consisted of but it was the action of one.
Terror surged when she realized what she was doing. He was a priest, a man of God. Peninnah gasped in shock, pulling back but his hand stopped her from going far. Something was happening between them. It felt like static between them on a hot day. Her hands pressed to his bare chest but didn’t push. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to stay or run from the room. Caught in indecision she brushed her fingers over the first bare skin she’d touched that normally lay hidden beneath clothes. It was soft and warm beneath her fingers like the smooth, comforting cotton of her robes. Her robes, she be came aware suddenly that her head cover had fallen free and all of her black tress was tumbling out over her shoulders.
His hand was in her hair, brushing through the curls. His lips had convinced hers to open yet she had no idea when. His tongue was there in her mouth but that wasn’t where she felt the sensation. The sensation was everywhere, hot like the summer sun on her skin and tingling in such a peculiar way. One touch brought sense to it all as his hand slid around her hips. Suddenly she became all too aware of what they were doing.
Shame burned hotter than any other feeling. She nearly stumbled back from him. Darius’ hands slipped away from her body but she could still feel them, still feel his lips. Her hand pressed to her lips as she backed away. What sin had she committed? What sin had she brought upon him with that kiss? Peninnah looked away in humiliation as his questioning gaze met hers.
What had she done? A deep part of her wept until the tears surfaced in her eyes from the very depths of her soul. She had sinned and brought that disgrace upon another. Peninnah fled from the room crying. It was the turmoil she could not stand. It was wrong but it felt right. It was wrong and yet she knew that was what she yearned for. She was nothing but an abomination that lived in false pretense of being worth of God’s work. Perhaps, she thought now, God had been right in punishing her for failure. Perhaps it would come again.