Yes, tomorrow

"Tey, you can't really be considering this."

Later that evening, Teysa, Aliara and Dom sat around a corner booth in the inn's common room. All around them patrons were finishing their dinner and drifting off one by one to their rooms. The Stone Egg didn't play host to rowdy drunks; Dom's bouncer, a half-orc named Rissh, sent any patron who cut up rough on his way. Dom had instructed his staff to keep the tables near them clear to give them some privacy. Over a dinner of stuffed peppers and cave crab legs (a delicacy, he informed them, though a bit spicy for Teysa's stomach) he gave them the background on the Temple precinct and they brainstormed a plan to get in. Aliara was, at best, skeptical.

"Tey, listen. There's a certain amount of graft among the city guard, but the guards near the temple don't play around-- ever. They won't even let us near there without a good reason, and we'll need papers to prove it. If anyone heard us asking about driders they'll be on the lookout for us. There's got to be a better way." She turned to Dom. "Tell her. Tell her this is a stupid idea."

Dom shrugged. "I dunno, Miss Aliara. This actually doesn't seem like the worst plan. Teysa, go over it again for me?"

Teysa finished chewing and cleared her throat. "Well, I guess... I mean, they accept envoys from other faiths, I imagine. I know Bel'kor has a following down here. Kyreen, too. Atlachix. They all have temples, you said? Near the Basilica of Lolth? So if we pretend to be priestesses or acolytes or something of one of them, we can get into the precinct. Then we just find the Chapel and duck inside. They won't be as suspicious of strange behavior if we worship another deity, and they won't know the hierarchy well enough to call our bluff, I don't think. Anyways, we go in disguise, and we slip out once we get what we need."

Dom turned to Aliara. "Yeah, it's dangerous, but it might work. The guards don't like talking to priests from other religions if they can help it. They say it makes them impure."

Aliara threw up her hands. "Well, I guess I'm outvoted. When they catch us and feed us to their spiders, don't say I didn't warn you."

Hours later, a candle burned in their window. Aliara lay quietly, but Teysa could tell from her breathing that she was not asleep. She reached over and laid a hand on the half-elf's shoulder.

"Li? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," came the muffled response. Teysa rubbed Aliara's arm. "Li, can we talk about this? Please?"

Aliara rolled over. Her face was tight, drawn. Her eyes were unreadable. When she spoke, she sounded like she exerting tremendous self-control. "Fine. We're talking."

Teysa took a deep breath. "Li, it's ok to be scared."

"I'm not!" came the indignant reply. Teysa pressed on. "It's ok to be scared. Really. I'm scared too. But I need you to trust me."

"I do! I trust you!" Aliara's reply was a little too quick.

"Uh huh. Listen, love. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise. Do you believe me?" She paused. "Li, do you believe me?"

Aliara's lip trembled. She opened and closed her mouth, staring at the wall. Then, abruptly, she buried her head in Teysa's chest.

"Tey! I'm sorry! I trust you, I promise I do, but..." she took a deep breath. "I'm scared! Not for me, I know they won't take me again but... for you. I couldn't watch them hurt you. I couldn't."

"Shhhh. It's ok." Teysa caressed Aliara's hair with one hand, wrapping her other arm around her back. She rocked gently back and forth. "I knew it was going to be tough for you to come back here. You're very brave." With some effort, she pried Aliara off her. "I'll be fine. I promise. Look at me-- I promise. We are both going to get out of there alive."

Aliara sniffed once. "Ok. I just needed to hear you say that, I guess." She smiled. "Since tonight might be our last night... I think you owe me one."

Teysa couldn't figure out what she meant for a moment. When it clicked, she scowled, trying to suppress a laugh. "Aliara! You are incorrigible!" Aliara giggled. "That's not a no, is it?"

"Fine. If it'll make you feel better." Teysa playfully shoved Aliara back against the pillows with one hand. The half-elf lounged with a smirk and pulled her cotton nightshirt over her head, spilling out her perky breasts. Teysa hooked one finger on each side of Aliara's cotton drawers and pulled. Aliara arched her hips to ease their progress, then beckoned Teysa with a finger. The human woman crawled forward on her hands and knees. She leaned over Aliara, then swooped in for a kiss.

Teysa closed her eyes as she felt Aliara's lips part between hers. Her tongue quested hungrily inside the half-elf's mouth, eager to taste her. She inhaled deeply and smelled Aliara's scent-- a soft, slightly spicy aroma that months in the cave hadn't dulled. Their fingers intertwined as they kissed, and Teysa felt Aliara's nipples hardening against her chest. She rubbed her own breasts back and forth and felt the tiny points of hardness caressing her back, like two warm pebbles. Aliara grabbed one of Teysa's hands and tugged it down, down, placing it between her legs. Immediately Teysa began to move quickly. Without breaking the kiss she slipped a finger between Aliara's nether lips. Her cunt was sodden, and Teysa's finger slid easily inside. Aliara gasped under her, and Teysa pressed down even harder.

Both women slid down the pillows into a horizontal position, with the human on top. She slid her finger in and out of Aliara's warm, wet quim, increasing her pace. When Aliara moaned she added a second finger, which slid in effortlessly. Her thumb extended to rub the half-elf's clit as she thrust, pistoning in and out faster and faster. Her other hand found Aliara's breast and she felt a warm trickle of milk flow out beneath her squeezing fingers.

Beneath her, Aliara's hips bucked. She was gasping now, letting out tiny moans of pleasure. One hand grabbed Teysa's wrist and pinned it in place, impaling herself onto the outstretched fingers. Teysa let her hand be held and watched as Aliara thrust upward once, twice, and finally a third time, letting out a shuddering moan that rose in pitch and became a scream.

Aliara sagged back into the pillows with a smile, cupping her lover's cheek. Teysa beamed down at her. "So, are we even?" The half-elf appeared to give this some thought.

"Fine. For now. But don't get comfortable. I've got plans for you, young lady."

"When we get back. When, I said, not if. See? Incentive."

Aliara smiled. "That's right. Incentive. Now, I'm tired. Come snuggle."

They fell asleep by the flickering candlelight.