DREAMS-E

Astrid felt someone nudging her shoulder, urging her to wake up. She opened her eyes slowly and took a minute to register her surroundings. She was asleep on her tree bark. How did I get here? Did she sleepwalk? She wondered and squinted her eyes toward the direction of her house. She could hear the slow hum of the UV light generator turned on.

She got down from the tree slowly, her mind still groggy and confused with her current state. The moment her foot stepped on the grass, a bright light exploded from her vision and she saw herself looking at a different forest, with more flowers and trees. This place felt warmer and the grass was softer. She saw butterflies and they seem to guide her somewhere.

Astrid followed those colourful butterflies and stopped at a meadow full of lavender. The sky was sunny, and her skin felt ticklish with the sudden warmth. She inhaled the lavender scent and grazed her hands around the flowers.

Suddenly she heard a whisper of her name. She stopped walking and turned her head around. The voice beckoned her again, this time from the middle of the meadow. She ran towards the voice, it sounded so familiar, she could not resist it. A figure in a white flowy dress was standing, arms open for her.

As she came nearer, tears flowed from her eyes. It was her mother. The pain and joy of seeing her, in flesh send waves of relief through her. For someone to grow from childhood to adulthood, without a mother figure was a harrowing experience for her.

She always pushed it at the back of her mind. The touting at school, the longing looks at another family with their set of parents, the missed opportunities and things that a mother and daughter could do, all those memories and wishes to have at least someone to call as her own overwhelmed her. She hugged her mother tight with all her strength.

She never wants to let go. She cried to her heart's content, her mother comforted her and shush her. She started singing a hymn, a hymn of the earth only known to her. Astrid felt a current flowing through her. She looked up and her mother smiled at her, a smile full of love and assurance. For once, she could touch her face and remember it. Beautiful, eyes just like her.

Her mother's skin was soft, and it glowed when her hand touched her skin. Nammu placed a small kiss on Astrid's forehead. She did not stop the hymn. And the electric current she felt running through her did not stop either, as if it followed the rhythm of the hymn.

Nammu, wiped her tears away and sat down in the middle of the meadow. Astrid knew her song was a long one. She laid her head on her lap and her mother stroke her hair, placing a kiss every now and then. None of them spoke, but somehow, she knew her mother was watching out for her. Her love was as boundless as the air that feeds every living thing.

When Nammu stopped singing, Astrid looked up at her. `My dear, always remember I am within you. You are everything I have wished for and more. And I love you'. Her voice radiant as the sun, and clear as the water, creating new memories for her to cherish.

Astrid closed her eyes bit by bit, capturing her mother's face and the meadow she was in, just basking in the knowledge that it made her happy. The electric pulse stopped. This time she heard a familiar voice, no two familiar voices calling her name. Both male voices and one with an accent.

Her eyes flew open to see, Ace and Enlil looking at her worriedly. She clutched on Ace, thinking him to be her mother.

When she whimpered and cried, Ace woke up. He touched her forehead and it felt warm. Before he could sit up, she hugged him tightly and he pacified her. Enlil came barrelling into the room and kneel in front of them. Both tried to call her name but sensing her dream to be on the good side, Enlil told him to be quiet.

Ace was displeased, he could not help but observed her face. She was in pure bliss. Enlil knew better. He could feel a surge in power going through her and did not wake her up. She woke up on her own shortly.

`What happened?', her throat was parched, and Enlil passes a glass of water for her.

`You were crying, and I woke up. Is it a bad dream?', Ace sat up and pulled her in for a hug. She placed her head on his chest, his heartbeat reassuring her. Ace gently massaged her shoulder and neck.

`No, I saw my mother', she spoke.

`Did she say anything?', Enlil asked.

`She says she loves me and she is within me', she looked at Enlil and Ace.

`She will always be Astrid. She will always be within you...Did she say anything else?', he was curious.

`She sang. It felt wonderful as if I've heard it before. But I can't seem to remember where', she mumbled, feeling sleepy with Ace's fingers doing wonders to her.

`Your body turned quite warm, love. Are you feeling any better now?', Ace knew her body was hot momentarily but as soon as she woke up, it disappeared.

`I am okay', she kissed his chest.

`Did you feel anything, Astrid?', Enlil was persistent.

Astrid nodded and replied `Felt like an electrical current running through-'

Enlil who was kneeling moved his hands towards the corner of her top and Ace swatted his hands away.

`What the heck man!', Ace hissed at him. `You are becoming like a pervert, man',

`I need to confirm something-', Enlil sat and crossed his legs by her bed.

`Well, I get to do that, not you', Ace put his arms protectively around her. Astrid merely smiled at their banter.

`My body, I get to do it, not you both,' she admonishes them. She swore she saw them both sulks, but they quickly hide it away.

Astrid pulled away from his hug and sat properly facing the wall. She guided Ace's hands towards the seam of her tank top and told him to lift it up. Ace did as told. Both men eyed each other annoy and distrust.

Ace turned his face to look at her back and lifted her top higher until he could see her bra line. He was astonished. It started from her left butt, he knew it must have started from there and he pushed her shorts lower. Astrid knew by now the wind markings were visible for Ace to see.

An intricate tattoo design appeared from her butt where the wind was coiled before moving up, stopping just below the right side of her bra strap. A design of lavender intertwined with its leaves made its way from the blue coloured wind designs. The lavender was the same colour as Ace's eyes. Lilac.

Enlil put his face nearer to inspect it, but Ace pushed him away.

`I will be your eyes, tell me what's there to see? And how did it appear magically just like that?', Ace proceeded to move his eyes closer to her tattoos. She squirmed, feeling his nose on her back and lips just flutter away. Fuck, now this is a turn on.

`Wow, just unbelievable!', he was stunned.

`What?', Enlil was excited. Astrid was blushing at the intimacy and bit her lip. Thank god she is facing the wall.

`The entire designs of this lavender and the leaves are not just normal strokes of ink. I mean there are names which are written collectively, and they are so so tiny. There are names in each stroke of the tattoos.' Ace knew this kind of tattoo is impossible. It could take a painter hours to create something like this under magnifying glass no less, let alone a tattoo artist.

`Whose names?', Enlil's voice had a hint of happiness.

Ace moved closer until his nose touched her lower back and his hot breath was tickling her. Astrid placed her hands on her chest to control her racing heart, her back arched. Fuck, fuck, fuck, Enlil better leaves now.

`Says here, Nammu and Astrid Kaija. Care to explain how it appeared?', Ace slowly scrutinized the tattoos.

`If it says Nammu then we don't have to worry. Good night', Enlil was beyond happy and left the room abruptly in good spirit, whistling. Ace was surprised at his nonchalant attitude. What the heck was that? How is it possible for a complex tattoo to appear magically?

Ace noticed how Enlil avoided his question, dashing out and decided to prod him tomorrow. He failed to realize Astrid was flushed when Ace kept moving his face against her back, inspecting her back closely.

`Ace, baby', her voice was raspy by now and she involuntarily arched her back and tilted her head sideways, looking up. She only used that endearment when she was high on lust. Oh, is my kitty turned on?

Ace stopped and smirked, realization dawned him. No wonder the kitty was quiet. He decided to tease her further. His right hand grabbed her chin in place, placing it upwards and he placed his finger close to her lips, feeling her cupid's bow, teasing her.

His tongue licked and his sharp nose made feather-light contact across her entire tattoo, starting from her butt moving upwards. Astrid bit his finger hard.

`Ace', she moaned his name and she felt him just below her bra strap. She was trembling slightly.

`Astrid, my love, may I? Tell me if you want me to stop', his own voice husky and strained. Each word, each breath stoking her fire of emotions. He was right behind her bra strap. His left fingers dug into the strap, waiting for her.

Astrid closed her eyes. An image of her mother, smiling at her came to mind. She did not expect that. Her body immediately tensed. Ace felt it. He slowly took his finger out and kissed her back until he reached her neck and licked her earlobe, earning a soft sigh of content from her.

`Ace, I….I am sorry', she turned to face him, guilty.

`Shhhh, don't ever say sorry. If anything, I should be sorry. I won't touch you without your permission', he straightened her tank top, and both laid on the bed, looking at each other. His eyes, intense with love.

`Thanks, British education made a gentleman out of you', she smiled at him and touched his cheek.

`Oh, it made me more than that. You just have to say yes.', he kissed her eyes, cheeks and nose before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. He wanted to control his member from getting too excited. Seeing her tattoos, up close on her slender back and her lavender scent was enough to turn him on and take her in.

Her lips curved to smile, and she snuggled closer, pulling the blanket over them. His hands swirling on her back made her sleepy and she slept. Only then he permitted himself to sleep.