Harwood and the girls stayed out in the fields for most of the morning. The work kept them all busy, so she had to wait until Tacotl called for a break to go find Naka-Mur and tell him of Bonnie's decision to volunteer as a candidate for sacrifice. The prospect made her very uneasy. To the best of her knowledge, such a thing had never been done before, and that concerned her.
She wasn't worried about the legal implications back home, though. Bonnie, like everyone else who'd come with her on this journey, had signed a waiver releasing both Dr. Harwood and the university from any responsibility in the event of injury or death. It was mainly the reaction of the High Chieftain and the Aiwaha in general that gave her pause.
Harwood found Naka-Mur over at the far side of the fields, his bare chest gleaming with sweat in the tropical sun. He was speaking with a few of the other men who worked with Tacotl and was seemingly deep in thought. The professor waited patiently until he noticed her, his expression shifting to one of mild surprise. She approached him a little hesitantly. The gravity of what she was about to say wasn’t lost on her.
"May I speak with you privately?" she asked.
"Of course," Naka-Mur replied. "Though I must admit, that look on your face troubles me. Has something happened? Is one of your students ill?"
"No." Harwood shook her head. "Nothing like that. But...it is still a, um, matter of concern."
Naka-Mur's eyes narrowed. "Concern?"
"Yes," she swallowed. "One of my students...has expressed interest in becoming a candidate for the Festival of Fertility."
Naka-Mur sucked in a breath and even went a little pale. "Oh. I see. That...that is indeed a matter of concern." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "Which one?"
"Bonnie. The blonde one."
"Ah, yes. Her. Well...I suppose if any of your charges were going to do it, she would be the one." He sighed. "Yet still, this troubles me greatly. In truth I was hoping that this would not happen, and I was certain it would not. Does she know, truly, what she is getting into? Have you spoken with her at all?"
"I've spoken to her," Harwood assured him. "I've told her everything, and she's still adamant. She seems quite...enthusiastic about the whole idea. Believe me, I did everything I could to try and talk her out of it, but she's determined."
"Even so, I am worried what this will mean for my people," Naka-Mur said. "How will the outside world view us if you leave Tlacloban with fewer students than you had when you arrived? For our own to volunteer for the Festival, that is one thing. To sacrifice a foreigner, and a guest at that, is another. I do not wish for my people to be seen as savages."
Harwood nodded solemnly. "I understand your concerns, Naka-Mur. As I've said, I've done my best to explain the gravity of her decision to Bonnie, but she seems to have made up her mind. But for what it's worth, I do not believe your people will be seen that way. The Festival of Fertility is a sacred and voluntary tradition. If she's willing to participate of her own will, then the responsibility falls on her, not on you. To people from outside your tribe, Bonnie's death, if she's chosen, will be seen as a powerful demonstration of personal choice and cultural immersion."
"I could simply accept her as a candidate and then not choose her," Naka-Mur mused. "No one would ever know."
Harwood smiled ruefully. "Tempting, but I think Bonnie would not want it that way. She wouldn't want any special treatment and if she found out she'd be extremely upset. She's a strong young woman. Perhaps stronger than any of us."
Naka-Mur nodded, his expression solemn. "Very well. I shall take your words to heart, Professor, and give her the same consideration as I will all the others who've volunteered so far. If it is the will of the gods, she will get her wish."
Not far away, Lin Ming had just stopped to wipe sweat from her forehead when a huge shadow loomed over her. Squeaking with shock, she looked up and found Zolin standing over her.
"You thirsty?" he asked, and held out a gourd of water to her. "Hard work, yes?"
"Y-yes," Lin agreed. "Hard work."
He crouched down on one knee. "You want break? Break for sex?"
His bluntness was something she still hadn't quite gotten used to, but her pussy grew moist at the thought. "Okay," she whispered, and put her small handful of seeds aside to lie on her back. The soil was moist and warm against her naked back as she spread her legs for him.
Zolin grinned and leaned in for a hot, fierce kiss. "Tiny One," he purred. "Love you so much. You are perfect match, perfect mate for me."
Lin Ming bit her lip. "You really love me? But...why?" It was a question that she still was wrestling with. Why her? What made her so special to him? Why, out of all the women in Tlacloban, would he choose her?
He sensed her hesitation and cocked her head. "Just do. Hard to explain. You...want I stop?"
"N-no," she stuttered, blushing under his gaze. It was as if he saw right through all her fears and insecurities to the core of who she truly was.
"Good." With that, Zolin plunged into her, filling her completely. Lin Ming gasped and arched her back, feeling the incredible stretch and fullness of his cock inside her. Her nails dug into the soil as he began to fuck her in earnest, his powerful thighs moving in a steady rhythm that sent waves of pleasure through her body. The way Zolin looked at her, the way he touched her...it made Lin feel, for the first time, truly desired.
She couldn't get enough of that feeling. Even more than the sex, that's what she truly craved. Love. Acceptance. And Zolin gave her that without any strings or conditions attached. Her heart swelled with adoration for him as he thrust deep into her, making her pussy quiver around his cock. Lin Ming threw her head back and moaned, her body responding to his primal, passionate claiming of her. She didn't even care anymore that other people could see her getting ravished.
Their coupling was as fierce as the jungle around them, the sounds of their passion echoing through the trees. Zolin’s sweat dripped onto her body as he fucked her hard, and she could feel every powerful inch of him driving into her, stretching her to the limits of what she thought was possible. It hurt, but it was a good hurt. A hurt that she craved, that made her feel alive.
Her pussy grew wetter and wetter around him, and she could feel the beginnings of another orgasm building up inside her. She didn’t know how she could handle another one after the one she’d had that morning, but she was willing to try. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her heels digging into his muscular back, urging him to go faster, deeper. Lin Ming began whimpering, her eyes squeezed shut, as Zolin’s strokes grew more frantic. She felt the heat of the sun beating down on her naked skin, the earthy scent of the soil mixing with the musky smell of their lovemaking.
The other students had stopped working and were watching them again. Lin was aware of their eyes on her, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was Zolin and the way he made her feel. She felt a thrill of exhibitionism, knowing that she was the center of attention, that they were all watching her get fucked by the most powerful and handsome Aiwaha man in the village.
"You go, Lin!" Bonnie cheered. "Get some! Yeah, that's it! Fuck him like there's no tomorrow!"
Krupa cheered too. "Way to go, Lin! Show 'em how it's done!"
Lin Ming's eyes flew open at the sound of their voices. Despite the initial embarrassment, she felt a surge of confidence. It was as if their encouragement had given her permission to fully embrace this wild, uninhibited side of herself. She met Zolin's gaze, his eyes dark with passion, and craned her neck up for a kiss that he eagerly gave.
Their kiss grew more intense and the cheers grew louder. Lin Ming felt a strange sense of power rush through her. It was as if she’d been granted a taste of something forbidden and exhilarating, something that she’d never experienced before. Her body was his to command, and she reveled in it.
"Yours," she whispered, the words slipping out of her mouth with surprising ease. "I'm yours, Zolin. Forever!" Tears leaked from her eyes, mixing with the sweat on her cheeks. "Take me, all of me!"
Zolin’s eyes lit up at her declaration, and he pumped into her even harder, his hand reaching down to pinch her clit. The sudden sharp pain sent Lin spiraling over the edge into an explosive orgasm. She screamed out his name, her entire body convulsing around his thick shaft. The students around them cheered and clapped, while the Aiwaha workers simply nodded in approval, as if acknowledging a job well done.
As she rode out the last waves of pleasure, Lin felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time—freedom. Her strict upbringing had always placed a tight leash on her desires, but here, in the heart of the jungle with the Festival of Fertility drawing near, she realized--truly realized, for the first time--that she could finally be herself. It finally clicked in her mind that she didn’t have to hide her feelings or conform to anyone else’s expectations.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched Zolin’s face contort with his own climax. He roared her name, and the sound of it was like a declaration of war to the heavens above. His hot seed spurted into her, filling her up and marking her as his. The thought made her stomach flip-flop, but in a good way.
Zolin pulled out of her, and she felt a sudden emptiness that was quickly filled when he helped her up to her knees. His cock, still hard and gleaming with her juices, was mere inches from her face. Lin didn't need him to tell her what he wanted her to do. She eagerly opened her mouth and took him in, her eyes fluttering closed in bliss as she felt his hands on the back of her head. He groaned as she took him deep, her tongue swirling around the head of his cock. Lin was still a novice when it came to blowjobs but she'd seen Bonnie giving enough of them around Tlacloban to know the basics.
Her cheeks hollowed as she bobbed her head up and down, her small hands clutching his muscular thighs for balance. The taste of him was different than she'd expected, but it made her stomach flutter in a good way. It was salty and musky, but not unpleasant. She felt his cock pulse in her mouth and a second later he was spewing jizz down her throat. She swallowed it all, feeling oddly triumphant. The students whooped and hollered again, some of them clapping. The Aiwaha men just nodded, as if to say, 'Good job, little one'.
Lin wiped her mouth and tried not to cough too much. Despite her initial shock, she'd managed to swallow all of Zolin's cum. She felt his hands on her shoulders, steadying her, and she leaned into his strong body.
"Need more," he grunted. "You stand. Turn around, Tiny One. Take you standing this time."
Lin blinked and scrambled to her feet, her knees still wobbly from the intense orgasm earlier. She turned around and bent over, gripping the earth with her fingers as Zolin lined up behind her. He didn't bother with preamble, sliding into her pussy with ease from their earlier coupling. The sensation was overwhelming, and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out.
His hands were firm on her hips, guiding her back onto him as he thrust deep. Lin's head lolled back, her eyes squeezed shut. There was no tenderness to their coupling now. Zolin was rough and demanding, and she loved it. Her body felt alive, her pussy stretched and filled to the brim with his thick, unyielding cock. Every time he pushed into her, she could feel him ramming against the entrance of her womb. It felt absolutely glorious. It was like every inhibition she’d ever had was peeling away, layer by layer, leaving her raw and exposed and utterly alive.
Lin found herself wishing that Father could see her now, fucking like an animal in the dirt. If he knew what she was doing, what she was becoming, he’d probably have a heart attack. But she didn’t care. She liked the way Zolin’s hands felt on her hips, guiding her, controlling her. It was freeing to let go of all the guilt and shame that had been drilled into her for so long. Lin felt lighter than air, as if she could float away at any moment.
Zolin’s grunts grew louder, and she felt his grip tighten. She knew he was close. The thought of bringing him to climax again made her pussy clench around him, and she pushed back harder, meeting his every thrust. They moved in perfect symphony. The heat from his body, the sound of their flesh slapping together, and the smell of the fertile earth surrounding them all added to the intoxicating experience. Lin was in absolute heaven. She was being fucked silly by the most amazing man she’d ever met, and she didn’t want it to end.
But end it did, with Zolin’s roar of release. He shot his cum deep inside her, filling her up until it spilled out around his cock and down her legs. The sensation was overwhelming, and she felt another orgasm build up from the base of her spine, shooting out through her entire body like a supernova. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground, panting.
"Good," he gasped, his broad chest shining with sweat. "Good, Tiny One. You make me feel good. You feel good to me. You perfect."
Lin's cheeks burned pleasure as she looked up at him. Despite the dirt on her face and the stickiness between her legs, she felt a warmth spread through her. Back in her home country she'd been nothing but a disappointment to her father. Here, with Zolin, she felt like she was everything.
And that was when Lin began to consider, seriously, whether she wanted to leave Tlacloban at all. Zolin’s love was something she hadn’t anticipated, but it had taken root in her soul, growing stronger with every touch, every shared moment. The idea of returning to her father's iron-fisted tyranny filled her with dread. Here, she was loved, protected, and valued. In her home country, she would be little better than a prisoner under Father's roof.
Who in their right mind would give up what she had with Zolin in exchange for that?
No one, that's who.
Lin Ming made up her mind as she lay there in the dirt, her body still quivering from the intensity of her orgasm. She couldn’t imagine leaving this place, leaving Zolin. The idea of being without him, of not having him in her life anymore, was unbearable. She looked up at him, his chest heaving from his exertion, and felt a surge of love that was so intense it was almost painful. He’d given her something she’d never had before: acceptance, passion, and a sense of belonging. She knew that she could never go back to her old life. Not after this. Not after finally finding happiness. If it meant living without electricity and phones and TV and all the other trappings of modern civilization, so be it. Tlacloban was her home now, she realized, and Zolin was her future. There was nothing for her in the outside world anymore.
But she couldn't tell anyone. Not yet. It would, she decided, be better to wait until after the Festival of Fertility was over. She didn't want to make waves or distract from the solemnity of the occasion. So she simply looked up at Zolin and smiled through her tears of joy. "You do too, Zolin. You...make me feel good too." And you will forever, for I will never depart from your side.
On the other side of Tlacloban, Isaiah was about to come to a similar conclusion. Something seemed to have changed in Metztli since their impromptu fuck-session during the archery lesson earlier; she was all over him, constantly touching and kissing and caressing him. Her dark eyes practically burned with heat and passion--her hands, her lips, her body was everywhere. She insisted--vociferously--on holding his hand whenever one of them wasn't preoccupied, and every time he sat down or even stood still for more than a few minutes, she got down on her knees to suck his cock. It made him feel like the king of the world, but it was also, in a way, a little unnerving. Metztli's change in mood was always swift, but this was something else.
She looked up at him as she sucked and licked his shaft like her life depended on it. The archery lesson had ended less than an hour before, and she'd practically shoved him onto his rear in her haste to pleasure him. There was a ragged edge to her movements that hadn't been there before, almost as if she were trying to make up for something. The expression on her face was one of adoration. Quite a change, from the way she'd looked at him when they first met.
"Metztli," he grunted, his hand tangling in her dark hair of its own accord. "You, uh, don't have to push yourself like this."
"Want to," she panted. "Need to. Love you. Want you."
Her words hung in the air, raw and unfiltered. "Because it work. I pregnant now." Metztli's voice shook with the force of the emotions that had been swirling inside her all day. "I going have baby. You baby. You son." Tears spilled from her eyes. "I so happy. You give me greatest gift."
Isaiah's eyes widened. "But...how can you be sure? It's still so early!"
"Because I know," she said. "Just know. Not sure how, but I do." Her tongue flicked out to caress the tip of his cock. "Soon I hold you son in my arms. Gods smile on me. They smile on Metztli and Isaiah."
Isaiah wasn't able to speak for a few minutes. He'd known Metztli wanted to have a child with him--she'd been very up front about it, to put it mildly. But to hear her say it with such conviction, such absolute certainty, was something else entirely. He felt a sudden surge of affection for her, this fiery, passionate woman who was going to be the mother of his child. He felt afraid too, and uncertain, but he remembered what Metztli had told him earlier and decided to just be happy instead. Rather than letting his own self-doubt ruin the moment, he decided to try and imitate Metztli and throw himself headlong into the challenge.