Sisterhood – Initiation

“Oh,” Leah giggled, “I see her.”

Caroline was facing away from them, and was busily engrossed in her own, rather longer and more vigorous kiss with her last dancing partner. The other girl was slimmer than Caroline, and almost completely hidden from view behind Caroline’s broad back and hips. Only the girl’s long, thick brown hair was visible, and two slender arms wrapped firmly about Caroline’s waist.

“Ahem,” Lena led Leah by the hand, towards where Caroline and her partner were standing.

“Oop!” Caroline pulled away from her embrace and turned to face them with a giggle and a smile. She took the other girl’s hand from her hip and held it in hers.

“So Annika,” Lena pulled up close to the other two girls, “You have had a successful first dance, I see.”

“And you,” the other girl smiled coyly at Leah.

“Hello,” said Leah, not sure what to say. The other girl, Annika, was a little shorter than Lena, and just as slim, with a slender waist but quite broad, curvy hips given her size. She was perhaps not quite as strikingly attractive as Lena, but she was pretty, a little shy-looking, with bright brown eyes, a prominent aquiline nose, and a slightly protruding, pouting lower lip. She had a luscious tangle of thick brown hair down to her shoulders, and she wore an outfit very much like Lena’s, with jeans and a red-striped top, both tight against her figure.

“Lovely to meet you,” Caroline leaned forward, smiling effusively, and embraced Lena for kisses on each cheek, “I’m Caroline, Leah’s cousin.”

“Lena. Very nice to meet you,” Lena introduced herself warmly but formally. Then she turned to Annika, “Annika, please remember your manners. Leah and Caroline are our very special guests tonight.”

“Oh,” Annika stepped forward nervously to embrace Leah, planting kisses on her cheeks, “Annika. Very nice to meet you.”

“Leah,” replied Leah, laughing nervously.

“So Annika,” Lena put her arm about Leah’s waist, “Shall we escort our respective dancing partners to the bar?”

“Yes, good idea,” Annika replied. She turned to Caroline, likewise placing an arm around her waist, though somewhat less boldly, “Would you like that?”

“Absolutely,” Caroline smiled, “I could really do with a drink.”

“Then please follow,” Lena turned and strode out across the floor of the hall, pulling Leah along beside her. She walked briskly, confidently, weaving her way between groups of girls, some standing chatting, some drifting away from the dancing area. It seemed that some of those who noticed Lena stepped quickly to one side to make way for them as they passed.

Leah saw that along the long edge of the hall, next to the smaller entrance that they had come through with Ellen, there was a low-ceilinged alcove recessed into the wall. The alcove was furnished as a bar area. Two tall girls were pouring drinks from behind a high counter, where a few more sat atop stools. Leah looked up as they passed one of the massive pillars that stood near the walls, “This place is enormous,” she wondered.

“And very beautiful,” Caroline added from behind her.

“Indeed,” smiled Lena, “I’m glad you like it.”

They reached the bar area, where more groups of girls were standing in clusters around tall tables. Others were sitting along tables and benches arranged in booths perpendicular to the wall, each booth separated from the next by a wooden panel. Lena led them to the counter, then with a grin she turned to Leah and planted two hands firmly on Leah’s hips, “Okay mademoiselle, one, two, three,” and suddenly Leah felt herself hoisted up into the air until her backside came to rest sitting on one of the high bar stools, her legs dangling free, feet not even half way to the ground, “Just so you can sit comfortably while we order,” Lena told her, “We’ll go get a table in a moment.”

“Um, mademoiselle,” Annika took Caroline’s hand, looking somewhat embarrassed. There was clearly no way she was going to be able to lift Caroline onto a stool.

“In fact Annika,” Lena waved towards the benches, “Why don’t you take Caroline to find a seat while Leah and I get the drinks?”

“Okay,” Annika was visibly relieved. She led Caroline away.

Lena turned to Leah with a smile. She placed her hand on the top of Leah’s thigh where the long slit along the side of her dress had fallen open as she sat, “So, what can I get for you?”

“Oh,” Leah smiled. She looked across the bar at the colorful array of bottles and jars stacked along the wall on shelves, “This is so nice. Well, is there any particular specialty you recommend?”

“Louise makes a very nice tropical fruit smoothie,” Lena smiled.

“Then I will have one of those,” Leah replied.

“Great. Louise!” Lena called over the bar top.

One of the girls behind the bar trotted over to where Lena was standing and leaned forward to rest her arms on the counter, “Lena. What can I do for you?” she smiled broadly, looking at Leah, “And for your friend.”

Leah could not help but stare. Louise was very tall, full-figured and robust verging on slightly chubby, with bright blond hair and soft, tanned skin. She was pretty, too, but what drew Leah’s attention in particular was the fact that she was also very unmistakably topless. Her extremely large bare breasts hung heavily between her arms, just resting on the bar.

“We’ll both have my favorite, thanks,” Lena did not seem to react at all to Louise’s toplessness.

“Okay,” Louise replied. Another tortoiseshell cat sidled along the bar counter, picking its way delicately over a cluster of empty glasses. It sidled up to Louise and snuggled itself against her bare, hanging breasts. The cat had a bright white underbelly, with black and ginger patches across the rest of its coat. Louise stroked it idly. She looked dreamily at Lena, “Anything else?”

“Oh actually,” Lena glanced over at where Annika and Caroline had sat down, “Make it three of those. And one of those ones that Annika likes, I never remember what it’s called.”

“The iced coffee chocolate thing?”

“Yeah, that one, thanks.”

“Okay,” Louise stood up straight. The cat scampered back across the bar top. “I’ll bring them over to your table.”

“Thanks Louise. I don’t know what we’d do without you.” As Lena had been speaking, her hand had crept slowly under Leah’s dress and up the inside of her thigh, stroking her gently. When Lena turned to face her, Leah felt her pussy suddenly flutter with a quick throb of desire, pressed against the hard seat of the stool beneath her. Lena slowly withdrew her hand, holding Leah’s gaze, then held out her arms to help lift Leah off the stool.

Leah slid rather heavily down, almost stumbling as her heels touched the floor, but Lena steadied her. “So let’s take our seats,” Lena took her hand with a smile.

Caroline and Annika were sitting opposite one another. They shuffled down along the bench, and Lena sat down next to Annika, Leah next to Caroline.

“Oh,” Annika seemed suddenly to remember something, “Caroline, what can I get for you?”

“Don’t worry Annika,” Lena sighed, “I got us all something nice and refreshing that I am sure Caroline will enjoy. Louise will bring it over in a moment. I even got something for you.”

“Oh, thanks. You’re very kind,” Annika shuffled a little closer to Lena, put her arm around Lena’s shoulders.

“You’re almost welcome,” Lena replied.

“It’s really very nice here. I’m having a great time already,” Caroline opened the conversation enthusiastically, “So I take it you two have been here before?”

“To the ball?” replied Lena, “Several times. Annika came the last two years, too.”

“And you two got an invitation from Marianne?” Annika asked.

“Yes,” Caroline replied, “Well actually it was Leah who got the invitation. I’m just her bring-a-friend.”

“Well Leah, you made a very good choice, if I may say so,” Lena smiled at Leah. “Oh, here are our drinks,” Lena turned in her seat to face Louise, who was approaching with a tray balanced in one hand. Now that she was out from behind the bar, Leah could see that Louise was not only topless, but also wearing nothing but a very slim blue and white striped pair of bikini bottoms and flip-flop sandals.

“Here you are,” Louise leaned forward to set their drinks on the table, her big breasts hanging heavy beneath her, “Enjoy. And just call me over if you need anything else.”

“Thank you,” said Lena, taking two slender glasses of fine ice and brightly-colored juice and sliding them carefully across the table to Leah and Caroline. Lena took her own drink and then a fourth glass, of a rich, swirling light brown cream, which she gave to Annika.

“You’re very welcome,” Louise replied cheerfully, and returned to the bar. Leah chanced a brief but very satisfying look at Louise’s strong, smooth, tanned legs as she walked away.

“Cheers,” Lena raised her glass.

“Cheers,” Leah and Caroline did the same. The glasses were light and thin, only a fairly small quantity in each. Leah lifted hers to her lips and felt a cold, tangy refreshment on her tongue. There were the flavors of various fruits, not all of which Leah could make out, mango and banana, and perhaps kiwi and passion fruit.

“Very good,” Caroline gasped, smacking her lips, “Nice and cool.”

“Yes,” Leah agreed enthusiastically, “Just right for cooling down after the dance.”

“I am glad you like it,” Lena smiled, taking a small, careful sip.

Leah took another swig from her glass. Among the blend of sweet fruits and the cold hit of ice, she couldn’t make out whether there was something else, a hint of bitterness. “Are these…?”

“No,” Lena replied, anticipating.

“No alcohol in the main area,” Annika added.

Leah wondered, “The main area?”

“Here,” Lena waved at the space around them. There was a pause. She didn’t seem to want to elaborate.

“So, what is it that you two do?” Annika asked, “For a living, I mean.”

Lena rolled her eyes, “Annika. Is that all you can think of to ask these two lovely young women?”

“Oh, sorry,” said Annika.

Though Annika’s apology seemed to have been directed rather at Lena than at them, Leah felt compelled to reassure her. “No, it’s okay. I never know what to ask people either,” Leah said, “I just finished college. But I’ve started working as an events manager.”

“An events manager?” Annika asked.

“I manage events,” Leah replied with a giggle, hoping that her lame joke would save her from having to elaborate further. She hated having to talk about her job.

“Leah is also a champion showjumper,” Caroline butted in.

“Oh,” Annika smiled brightly, “Horse riding, you mean? That’s hot.”

Leah laughed at Annika’s rather forward remark. She felt herself blushing also.

Lena turned to Annika with a grin on her face. She clapped Annika on the thigh, “Annika. A flirtatious remark. Well done! That’s more like it.”

Leah knew she should say something about Caroline in return, to give her a chance to win a flirtatious remark of her own. But nothing occurred to her. Caroline was still looking for work, and though she often talked about wanting to take up a sport, she had yet to do so. “Caroline does, er, pole dancing,” Leah blurted.

Annika, who was about to take a sip from her drink, set it quickly down on the table before bursting into a short but intense fit of giggling.

“Annika,” Lena chided her, “Don’t laugh. Pole dancing is a very noble occupation.” She turned to Caroline, “I would love it if you treated me to a demonstration later.”

“I don’t do pole dancing,” Caroline laughed, “Leah is just being silly.”

“Well,” Lena said, holding Caroline’s gaze, “You could give it a go anyway. I’m sure you’d be a natural.”

“So you don’t do horse riding either?” Annika asked Leah.

“No, I do,” Leah replied, “That one was true.”

“Yes, she was a champion and everything,” Caroline added enthusiastically, “Won loads of competitions.”

“Oh. Wow,” Annika looked genuinely impressed.

“I see. That’s what has kept you in such good shape, no doubt,” said Lena.

“Oh, thanks,” Leah put one hand to her stomach out of view beneath the table. She disliked the way it creased into a slight roll about her waist when she was sitting down. She thought about how best to change the subject, what else they might talk about. She opened her mouth to begin asking the two other girls what they did for a living, then remembered how disdainful Lena had been about the topic, and thought better of it.

There was a lull as they all took a swig from their drinks, Lena first, sipping delicately, then the other two and finally Leah followed suit, enjoying another refreshing mouthful and looking down at the table without meeting anyone’s gaze. “So,” Caroline set her glass down and looked over her shoulder. She hitched her handbag up her arm, “I’m afraid I have to go to the bathroom. Where is it?”

Annika pointed, “There’s one for guests to the right of the bar.”

“Okay, thanks, I’ll be right back,” Caroline stood up and ushered Leah along the bench to make way. She held out her hand, “Leah, would you like to come with me?”

“Oh, right. Okay,” Leah flustered. She took Caroline’s hand, and as they walked away she turned to glance over her shoulder at the two other girls.

“We’ll be here,” Lena smiled kindly, waving, “Take your time.”

“You need to go already?” Leah said quietly once they were half way to the bar and out of earshot of the others.

“Sorry to tear you away,” Caroline replied, “I should have gone before but I didn’t want to miss the dancing.”

“It’s okay,” said Leah. They reached the end of the bar and stood before a rather worn-looking wooden door. A steel panel in the door bore an etched symbol of a dress-wearing female figure along with the single word ‘guests’. Beneath it was something written or perhaps drawn in a horizontal sequence of curved dashes mixed in with small, intricate, flower-like symbols. Leah did not recognize it as any style of writing that she knew.

“Anyway,” Caroline went on as she shouldered open the door and led Leah in behind her, “Your one isn’t here at the moment, so you’re not missing anything important.”

“My one?” asked Leah.

“Marianne,” Caroline replied, “You danced with her just now. Where did she go to?”

“Oh, I see. I don’t know,” Leah looked around. The bathroom was spacious and high-ceilinged. The walls were clad in shiny dark green tiles, except for one wall that was completely covered by a huge, spotlessly-clean mirror. Beneath the mirror was a long row of brilliant white porcelain washbasins with brass taps, set into a shelf of dark green marble. Along the opposite wall was a row of toilet stalls.

“Fancy,” Caroline mused.

“She’s not my one especially,” Leah sighed. The air in the room was cool and fresh, in contrast to the warmth of the great hall. There was a slight echo against the tiles, and the subtle whir of a fan from somewhere above. The space was otherwise quiet, empty.

“Well,” Caroline set her handbag down on the edge of one of the washbasins and took out a black pencil. She leaned forward and opened one eye wide, dabbing at it to darken up her eyeliner, “I need to get one for me, so a quick check and touch-up is in needed.”

“So what do you think of them?” Leah asked, “The two girls we were with just now.”

“It’s funny they didn’t seem so keen on talking about what they do for a living,” Caroline mused, angling her head from side to side to inspect her face, “Or at least that one girl Lena didn’t.”

“She was just joking, no?” said Leah, “To tease Annika.”

“Maybe,” Caroline replied, “I think they’re just really rich. They don’t do anything.”

“You think so?” The Summer House was an extremely grand residence. It must belong to somebody extremely wealthy, but Leah hadn’t thought about it much.

“Well those two, or Lena at least, they seem to part of organizing all this,” Caroline gestured back towards the door, “And if the place belongs to them or to one of their families, then they must be fabulously rich. Maybe heiresses or something.”

“Do you like either of them?” Leah ventured.

“Mmm,” Caroline pursed her lips at herself in the mirror, “Lena is pretty hot.”

“Yes, she’s beautiful,” Leah agreed.

“And good at kissing,” Caroline added.

“Did she kiss you too?” Leah tried not to sound too surprised, but heard the note of chagrin in her own voice.

Caroline turned around, “So she kissed you as well then?”

“Yes,” Leah replied, suddenly embarrassed, “After the dance.”

Caroline grinned, “Already changing your mind about Marianne?”

“Oh no, no,” Leah answered hurriedly. Since parting from Marianne after their brief dance, Leah hadn’t yet thought again about how she felt. Her body still ached with lust, and even hearing Caroline pronounce Marianne’s name had sent a flutter of desire through Leah’s insides. But too, Marianne’s embrace, her words, had stirred a more general, more urgent longing inside. And Lena’s kiss had been thrilling, at once both tender and passionate. Leah paused, “I guess, well, it seems she’ll be busy for a while. We might not see her until much later.”

Caroline’s smile broadened, “So until then…”

“But I mean, of course, if you like Lena, then please,” Leah interrupted, as nonchalantly as she could manage.

Caroline turned back to the mirror, pursed her lips again and began pulling at the front of her dress, jostling her breasts into order underneath the tight fabric, “Well I caught her getting a good eyeful of my biggest assets here.”

“Oh,” Leah giggled. She hadn’t noticed Lena looking, but she found that so many things that Caroline noticed about other people passed her completely by. Leah clasped her hands to her own chest and likewise hoisted her breasts up and smoothed the front of the dress down over them.

Caroline frowned at herself, “But fuck do I need to lose weight. I’d completely squash her at the moment.”

“No, you look… great,” Leah answered feebly.

“Well, time to bring out some additional weaponry,” Caroline reached into her handbag a second time and pulled out what looked like a few small chunks of glass, which rattled in her hand.

“What are you doing?” Leah saw Caroline’s hand open and realized that she was holding a fistful of rapidly-melting ice cubes.

Caroline tugged open the neckline of her dress and with a shiver reached in and rubbed the handful of ice against the front of one breast, then the other. “Swiped a bit of ice from the bar a moment ago,” she explained, turning around, “Get the nipples on display.”

Leah laughed. She saw that through the taut material of Caroline’s dress her nipples were indeed sticking out, two neat, hard bumps. But each was also surrounded by a haphazard wet splash of water, soaking the dress until it was darkly but unmistakably transparent, the pinkness of Caroline’s nipples and the dark skin around them showing clearly through.

Before Leah could say anything, Caroline strode past her and pushed open the door of one of the toilet stalls, closing herself in. “Just a moment,” Caroline called out, her voice echoing, “Nearly done.”

Leah turned to the mirror. A very faint moistening of sweat had gathered on her brow and on her upper lip, after the warmth of the great hall and the exertion of the dance. She pulled a thick white paper towel from a dispenser by one of the washbasins and dabbed at her face. Turning one way and then the other, Leah was still reasonably pleased with what she saw. The dress sat nice and tight on her figure, and her skin was smooth and rosy, seemed to have a healthy glow to it. But she looked nervous, a little awkward.

Behind her Leah heard the faint splashing of a delicate stream of water, then the flush of the toilet and Caroline emerged. “Great,” Caroline smiled, looking refreshed and eager. She washed her hands hurriedly, patting them dry with a big handful of the paper towels, then held out her arm to Leah.

“Curious isn’t it?” Caroline turned to Leah as they exited the bathroom together.