Our former neighbors to the east, Tosali was a relatively new and small kingdom established by Nrusingha Dev, it's first king. Its capital was the grand city of Swarnavali. King Nrusingha Dev had setup lucrative trade relations with the kingdoms across the seas, with merchants undertaking voyages to Bali and Yawadvipa.
His untimely death in 1505 saw his son, Aditya Dev, ascend the throne at the young age of 19. King Aditya Dev was dearly loved by his citizens. The entire kingdom rejoiced when, a year later, he married his beloved, the beautiful Charuvaki. The love between King Aditya Dev and Queen Charuvaki was legendary. The king was strong, handsome, benevolent and wise for his age. The beauty and grace of the queen was unparalleled. Under their rule, Tosali prospered to greater heights.
Queen Charuvaki died in 1534, leaving the citizens heartbroken and the king devastated. In memory of his beloved wife, King Aditya Dev commissioned the construction of a grand temple in Swarnavali, right by the sea side. Artists and craftsmen from across the land were invited to build this monument of love.
The temple was formally inaugurated few years later on the royal couple's wedding anniversary. The day was henceforth celebrated as an annual festival, commemorating the love between the king and the late queen. People from across the kingdom journeyed every year to Swarnavali to be a part of this grand celebration, which took place within the temple premises.
In 1556, Tosali was attacked by pirates from the sea who entered Swarnavali stealthily at night, during the celebration of the annual festival. The pirates were heavily armed with deadly weapons. It was a massacre. The pirates pillaged the city and carried away valuable treasures, leaving Swarnavali destroyed and burning.
Very few survivors managed to escape. King Aditya Dev and his surviving citizens were granted refuge by our great monarch, King Aryamitra. Unfortunately, Aditya Dev had sustained severe injuries during his battle with the pirates and died shortly after. Without any heir, the line of the kings of Tosali ended and the kingdom was lost forever.
Over the next decade, King Aryamitra sent three separate expeditions to reclaim Swarnavali. Those explorers and soldiers never returned and no one heard from them ever again. Rumors grew that the lost city was cursed with the vengeful spirits of its massacred citizens. No more expeditions were sent, thereafter.
The dying wish of King Aditya Dev was for his ashes to be scattered in the sea, next to the temple in Swarnavali, so he could be reunited with his beloved wife. Alas, the king's last wish has remained unfulfilled to this day.
- Page 847, The History of Kausala
Year 1770. Kingdom of Kausala, India
Heather put down the heavy manuscript, The History of Kausala, having just read the page aloud to Jonathan. They were inside the archive of the royal palace of Kausala.
Heather Beckett and her son Jonathan were archaeologists working for the East India Company in the Indian subcontinent. Kausala, an erstwhile kingdom in eastern India had recently fallen under company rule after its last king had died without an heir. Heather & Jonathan had been sent to the kingdom to discover and report any sources of treasure, possibly hidden in the ancient palaces, monuments or temples, that could fill the company's coffers.
After a two month stay at Kausala, they were ready to wind up their work and report back to company headquarters in Calcutta. Few days before their planned departure, Jonathan had found an old trunk in the palace archive. Inside, was a majestic sword and a sealed bronze jar. The royal historian had informed them that the sword had belonged to King Aditya Dev of Tosali and the jar contained his ashes. On Heather's request, he had brought them old documents dating back almost two centuries, containing scant information on Tosali.
"What else do we know about this lost kingdom?" Jonathan asked the historian.
"Not much, Master Beckett. It's been more than two hundred years since it was destroyed. From what I learnt from my predecessors, the kingdom was secluded behind the hills and forests towards the east near the sea. I think there was a map somewhere here."
The historian sifted through the other documents and brought out an old map of the region. Pointing to the area towards the east of Kausala, he said, "Here it is. After multiple failed expeditions, nobody bothered about it again and happily forgot its existence."
***
Later that night, Heather and Jonathan relaxed on the plush chairs in their balcony, enjoying the cool summer breeze, post dinner. They had been provided accommodation in one of the larger palace rooms which had a large bedroom, a small study and its own private bath. Heather slept in the bedroom while Jonathan slept in the study. The spacious balcony overlooking the palace gardens was a favorite spot for the mother and son.
Heather looked lovingly at her 20-year-old son, who was lost in thought. She was so proud of the young man that Jonathan had grown up to be. Not only had he become mature and responsible, but also had grown up into a fine young male specimen. Almost 6' tall, he had filled up nicely in the past few years. He sat there across her, dressed in only his trousers, to beat the Indian summer heat, broad shoulders and bare chest on display
"What's on your mind, dear?" she asked.
"Tosali," he said, absent mindedly running his fingers through his blond hair.
"What about it?"
"Do you think we should go find the lost city? I mean, it is right next door, waiting to be explored. And we have the map too."
She nodded, considering his suggestion. "It does sound tempting."
"I can't stop thinking about the king's last wish, separated from his true love all these years. We should take his ashes with us, when we go. Scatter them in the sea, like he wanted," he said, with a distant look on his face.
"My son, the romantic!" she said, teasing him. "I am not sure, dear. We'll have to see how feasible it is to travel to that place."
"Why? Afraid the place might be haunted?" he asked, grinning.
"Rubbish. I've never believed in such tales. Fine! I'll talk to Lt. Jones about the travel arrangements."
After few minutes, Jonathan yawned and stretched.
"Go to bed, dear. You must be tired."
"Nah, I can spend some more time with a beautiful woman."
She blushed. "You need to start getting interested in young ladies your own age."
"There's only one lady I am interested in, and you know it." His brown eyes gazed into her face.
Her heartbeat quickened and she looked away. "You promised, dear, not to bring that up again," she said, softly, pain in her voice.
"Sorry, mum. I am just complementing your beauty, that's all." He tried to lighten her mood.
She smiled and said, "Well, I am truly flattered. Now, please, go to bed. Take some rest."
***
Lying on her bed, Heather couldn't sleep. She was 40 years old, having come to India from England, almost 15 years back, with her husband, Thomas. He had been a lieutenant in the British army, who had sadly died 2 years later in the battle of Plassey in 1757.
She had been devastated but instead of going back to England, she had decided to stay in India. Getting a job as an archaeologist in the East India Company had helped her with a steady source of income. She had raised Jonathan on her own and took him everywhere she went. He had soon picked up the trade, having learned history and archaeology from her. As he grew up, he had started assisting her in the field.
She had never sought companionship and neither had she remarried, although her beauty and youth attracted a lot of suitors. She had maintained cordial relations with everyone but had firmly declined any amorous advancements. Her one true love had been Thomas and his loss had shattered her. Part of the reason for not returning to England had been that it would remind her of Thomas and his absence in her life. Many of her admirers and potential suitors had been decent men, but none could take the place of Thomas in her heart.
And then, there was Jonathan. She always had a special connection with her son, having him as the only companion in this foreign land. As he had grown up into a young man, he resembled more and more like Thomas. Their relationship had always been different than the conventional mother and son. They were best friends and confidants. They could read each other's moods and minds. He had the sense of humor of his father and always cheered her up.
As Jonathan attained adulthood, his demeanor towards her had changed visibly. He had become more protective of her. He was no longer a child that she needed to care for. She had slowly realized that her son was deeply in love with her, romantically. She could see it his eyes and his mannerisms, that it wasn't simply some teenage infatuation or adolescent fantasy, but serious romantic love.
Of course, there were passion and lust as well. Being always near each other, sharing tents during archaeological expeditions, she was aware of his self-pleasuring activities. Many nights, she had heard him softly cry out "mum" when he pleasured himself in the tent, thinking her to be asleep. She knew her son's heart and body ached for her.
It felt good to be taken care of by a man, after being alone for so many years. She had started seeing her son in a new light and thinking about him as possibly something more. But she had never been able to let go of Thomas. These new emotions and feelings towards her son, though exhilarating, was at odds with the memories of her late husband and kept her awake at night.
And then there was the matter of Jonathan's confession...
***
Five days later, Heather and Jonathan set out from Kausala in search of Tosali. Lt. Jones had given them two horses and provisions for the journey. The bronze jar containing King Aditya Dev's ashes was safely stowed in Heather's luggage. Jonathan carried the ancient map which they'd use to find the old road that existed between the two kingdoms. As per the royal historian, it took four days on horseback to travel between the two cities in the days of old.
They kept a steady pace on the horses as the road till the outskirts of Kausala was in good shape. Heather's mind wandered to that eventful day, few months earlier.
She and Jonathan had been in the princely state of Gwalior, leading an excavation with a team of archaeologists. On the final day, the group had celebrated that evening with delicious food and wine. She drank little but had felt melancholic towards the end. It had been one of those times when the absence of Thomas hit her hard. She had excused herself and taken a walk towards the edge of the site for some solitude. As the sky turned dark, sitting on a rock, she had started crying, remembering her life with Thomas and feeling utterly lonely.
Few minutes later, she had heard Jonathan approach. He sat next to her. She had leaned and rested her head on his shoulder as he put his arm around her. He had always been perceptive enough to remain silent and to just let her cry on his shoulders till she felt better. That evening however, he had spoken.
"Mum, how long will you be this way? You know I hate to see you cry."
She wiped away her tears and tried to smile. "It's nothing, dear. Silly old me. I just miss your father so much."
"I know. But father's been gone for a long time now."
She had looked at his face in the fading light.
With slight tremble in his voice, he had said, "I love you mum. Can I not fill that void in your heart?"
"You already do, dear. You're all I have got, my son."
"I can be much more than that, mum, if you let me." He had gazed intently into her blue eyes.
Getting off the rock, he had knelt before her, taking her hands into his own.
"You've never let yourself love any man like you loved father. I can't replace him, but I can be that man for you, mum."
She gasped. "Jonathan..." She had looked away, unable to meet his eyes, unable to speak.
"Mum, please say something. Your silence is killing me."
"I can't, Jonathan. I can't give you what you ask for. It's not right, son."
"Please, mum. Don't say that. I know you love me too," he had said, squeezing her hands desperately.
Tears had filled her eyes. "My dear boy, you're young. This is just a misplaced infatuation. One of these days you'll meet a nice young lady who'll be your soulmate. I am not the one."
His eyes too had filled with tears. There was hurt and disappointment on his face. "No, mum. Please don't say that. I love you."
"I am afraid, son. I am not ready for this, yet. I beg you, please don't bring up this topic again. Can we just go back to being mother and son, best friends and companions? Please, son." She squeezed his hands and looked at him with pleading eyes.
He had nodded. "As you wish, mum. I promise I won't speak of this again until you're ready. But please know this, you'll always be my one true love."
***
"What does it say?" Heather asked.
Jonathan stared at the map with a frown on his face.
It was the morning of the second day of their journey. They had completely left the territories of Kausala and were in uncharted lands now. Following the old road, they had entered the forests but the road had ended abruptly after few miles.
"As per this map, the road should continue ahead," he said, pointing forward.
She looked ahead. The old road seemed completely gone, engulfed by the forest. All they could see were deer trails. The land was starting to go downhill.
"Do you want to follow any of these trails?" she asked.
"Let's do that for now. The map shows the old road ran parallel to the river somewhere ahead. We'll try to get to the river and then follow alongside."
They continued forward, following the trail. There were steep, rocky, declines at few places where they had to get down and lead the horses on foot. Few hours later they came across the river and found the remnants of the old road again. They continued on the road, alongside the river for few more hours till they reached a small waterfall. With dusk approaching, they decided to call it a day and make camp. There was a nice clearing inside the forest. Heather set up the tent while Jonathan took the horses to graze. As the light started to fail, he returned with sticks and branches and started a campfire. As night fell, they ate their packed food for dinner. Tired of the day's journey, they quickly went to bed.
***
Heather woke up early next morning. Jonathan was still asleep on his bedroll. She exited the tent and looked around. It was pre-dawn and the sun wasn't up yet. The sky was a beautiful purple and birds had just started to chirp in the trees.
She wandered off towards the waterfall which looked quite tempting to her. It wasn't too high and the fall of water was gentle. She took off her boots and stripped off her blouse and skirt. Dressed only in her knee length shift, she stood on the rocks, contemplating. There was no one around for miles and Jonathan was asleep back in their tent. Feeling adventurous, she took off her shift, enjoying the cool morning air on her naked, pale white skin. With her 5'9" frame completely nude from head to toe, she entered the pool underneath the waterfall.
She waded through the pool and stood under the waterfall. It felt refreshing to wash off the dirt, grime and weariness of the journey. She washed her luscious brown hair and cleaned her body. Moving her hands all over her body, she cupped her 34" round perky breasts and pinched her pink nipples gently. She slowly moved her hands along her flat tummy, washing her light brown pubic hairs and finally touching her outer labial lips.
She carefully sat down, lining the stream of water with her pussy. The sensation felt delightfully pleasurable. She cupped her entire pussy with her palm, rubbing it, massaging it. It had been long since she had last pleasured herself. Her body desperately ached for a sexual release. With the torrent of water falling on her nether regions, she moved her fingers over her clitoral hood, teasing out the pleasure nub. She was slowly slipping into a comfortable, enjoyable state of ecstasy when she faintly heard Jonathan's voice calling out to her.
"Shit!" she swore loudly in frustration of being denied her pleasure. Rushing out from under the waterfall, she snatched her shift from her clothes pile and pulled it over her naked body. She sat down in the pool with her back against a rock.
Few seconds later, Jonathan wandered into view looking around, calling for her.
"Jonathan! Over here!" she called out. She stood up and waved to catch his attention.
She saw her son freeze for a moment as his eyes fell on her. She suddenly became aware that the wet shift was plastered to her skin, revealing the outlines of her erect nipples. Feeling conscious, she quickly sat down again, submerged in the water up to her upper chest.
He regained his composure, smiled at her and approached nearer.
"Come on in. It feels really good," she said.
He nodded and undressed. She watched with curious anticipation as his shirt and trousers came off revealing his muscular body. He stripped down to his drawers, entered the pool and sat across her.
"I had been searching for you."
"Sorry dear. Didn't want to wake you up. The water looked tempting. I lost track of time."
"That's fine. It does feel good." He relaxed, soaking in the cool water.
She was seeing her son in such a state of undress after a long time and much to her embarrassment, she liked what she saw. She struggled not to ogle at his body. Likewise, she could see that he was openly awestruck seeing her in her underclothes. His gaze kept flicking back to her chest. Feeling conscious, she ducked further into the water till her neck.
"I am going under the waterfall," he said and excused himself.
As he got up to his feet, she gasped softly seeing a prominent bulge in her son's drawers. She smiled as he walked awkwardly towards the fall, trying to hide his obvious arousal. Standing under the water, he washed himself, facing sideways from her. Seeing the near naked body of her son suddenly made her cheeks flush and nether regions tingling. After Thomas' death, she had never been with another man, resorting to self-pleasure to satisfy her itch. She missed the touch of a male body. Her pussy became moist at the sight of his muscular body as he stood under the waterfall, streams of water bouncing off his gleaming skin. His wet drawer clung to his thighs, teasing tight buttocks at the back and a well-defined bulge at the front.
An overwhelming urge came over her to be near this fine specimen of male physique. He's your son, for God's sake! Get a grip on yourself! Ignoring her inner voice, she stood up and walked up to him. She placed a hand on his back, softly touching his skin. He looked back, curious.
"Let me wash your back, dear."
He nodded. She rubbed his shoulders and back, massaging and feeling the toned muscles under her fingers. She felt his tight muscles relax as she worked on them. Her mind buzzing with passion, she placed light kisses all over his back. He sighed. She moved to his front and washed his chest and abs, placing light kisses all over. Her mind was getting fuzzy with overwhelming lust and she couldn't think straight. She looked down to see his drawers, stretched outwards to the max with a massive tent.
God! He's so hard. For me!
She couldn't stop herself from lowering her hand and softly placed it over the fabric on her son's erect member.
"Oh God! Mum!" Jonathan cried out; eyes squeezed shut with extreme pleasure as he ejaculated in his underpants. Heather momentarily felt the warmth of her son's semen seeping out of the fabric onto her hand before being washed off by the running water.
Jolting back to her senses, she was horrified at her actions. As he recovered and looked at her face, their eyes met. She couldn't look him in the eyes and felt deeply ashamed and conflicted.
"Oh my God!" she gasped, backing away from him.
"Mum... It's alright," he said, seeing the panic on her face.
"No...no! God! What have I done!" She was on the verge of tears.
As he moved to console her, she backed away and got out of the waterfall as fast as she could. She heard him calling out to her. She couldn't trust her emotions anymore and felt the need to get away from him before she did something far more terrible.
Retrieving her clothes, she ran off towards the camp, ignoring Jonathan's calls.
***
The mother and son continued their journey shortly after, with an awkward silence between them. The incident at the waterfall weighed heavily on Heather's mind and she was deeply troubled by its implications. Subconsciously, she was falling for her son which she didn't want to admit. She didn't want to confront this growing change in emotions in her, and what it meant for the future of their relationship.
As always, Jonathan knew her mood to give her the required space and silence. He did try to engage in a few small talks to get their collective minds off of the incident. But when he found her not really responsive, he fell silent. What finally brightened their moods were sights of remnants of old stone houses in what looked like an ancient village. They had finally entered the kingdom of Tosali.
As this point, the old road continued straight, diverging from the river which curved gently towards the right. Jonathan consulted the map again and confirmed that this was indeed the entry to the old kingdom. As the evening approached, they decided to stop at an abandoned village. They erected their tent, few feet off the road and made camp for the night.
***
Heather blinked to clear her vision. She was lying on her back on a smooth stone floor staring up at a high ceiling, the top of which was lost in shadows. Several oil lamps burned on the stone walls.
She felt fuzzy and unable to concentrate. As her senses slowly adjusted to her surroundings, she realized she was not alone. Sensual moans and groans soon came into focus as her ears attuned to the noise. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up on the floor.
She was inside a large stone hall surrounded by naked couples, making love. There were at least twenty such couples inside the hall, scattered around on the floor in various sexual positions and acts.
To her right, a young girl rode a man, like a cowgirl. The girl's eyes were closed, mouth slightly opened with constant moans and her face reflected pure carnal desires. Her petite young body glistened with sweat and her perky breasts bounced on her chest as she made passionate love to the man. To her left, a young boy laid atop a woman, pumping his long hard cock into her as she thrust her hips up to meet the boy's every stroke.
The entire hall felt alive with the echoes of all the passionate moans and grunts of blissful sexual coupling. She glanced over the naked bodies writhing with pleasure in the flickering light of the oil lamps.
Heather got up to her feet and moved towards the exit. She saw that it was a full moon night. Near the exit of the hall, her eyes fell on another couple. The man stood with his back towards a pillar, leaning against it. The woman knelt on the floor sucking on his erect manhood. The man groaned loudly and the woman pulled his cock out of her mouth as he spurted copious amounts of cum all over the woman's neck, chest and breasts.
None of the couples seemed to acknowledge her odd presence. She stumbled out of the hall in a daze and found herself in the open. She stood on the first-floor landing of an ancient building with a flight of broad stone stairs leading down to the ground. Few couples had claimed the sides of those stairs as well.
As she looked down, the vast grassy field beneath the stairs was littered with countless couples making love under the open sky as cool, moist winds blew from the east.
***
Heather opened her eyes and sat up on her bedroll. The strange dream had been so vivid. Jonathan was fast asleep on his bedroll. She touched her pussy; it was soaking wet.
Just an erotic dream. It's been too long since I last pleasured myself.
Rubbing the sleep off her eyes, she went out to get some fresh air. It was a full moon night. There was a strange whispering noise in the air which made her slightly dizzy, making it difficult to think straight or concentrate. Sitting on a nearby rock, she had an eerie feeling of being watched. Rubbing her eyes again, she looked around until she saw him.
Her husband. Thomas.
"Heather." He called out to her in a strange whispering voice.
"Thomas?" She couldn't believe her eyes. Am I losing my mind?
Thomas turned and walked away from her. She followed after him. He led her deeper into the jungle. She lost track of time and distance, following him as if being pulled by an invisible force. Soon they came to the edge of the forest which ended at the edge of a cliff.
Thomas turned and faced her. He smiled and said, "It's so good to see you again, my love."
"Thomas... How?" She was perplexed.
"I don't know. I was... somewhere else. And then I was here."
"I've missed you so much. You can't imagine how I've spent the last 13 years." Her eyes were starting to get moist.
"Gosh! Has it been that long? I guess I am not bound by time anymore."
"Why are you here, Thomas?"
"It was your love and longing for me that pulled me to you. I know you yearn for me. And I am here to fulfill your wish."
"How?"
He gestured with his hand towards the edge of the cliff. "We can be together again, my love. All you have to do is jump."
"What are you saying?" She stared at him, curiously.
He smiled. "Death is only the beginning. Just take my hand and jump. Then we can be together again for all eternity."
He extended his hand, urging her to take it. "Come, take my hand. There is nothing for you to live in this world. Don't you want to be with me, forever?"
She broke down, tears welled up in her eyes and her voice choked up. Suddenly, her mind was clear as if a curtain had been lifted.
"I would love to be with you, Thomas. But I am sorry. You're not the only love in my life. Not anymore. I love Jonathan now as much as he loves me. And I want to spend the rest of my life with him."
Thomas' face darkened with fury at her denial. He stepped ominously towards her. She gasped and stepped back as Thomas turned into a wraith giving off a sickly pale green glow. She turned around to see hundreds of similar wraiths coming out of the woods. The ghostly apparitions surrounded her, cutting off her escape.
The wraith who had been Thomas said, "This is the city of the dead. The living cannot enter."
There was malice in its dead, glowing eyes. The other wraiths closed in and she felt multiple hands grabbing her and pushing her closer to the edge of the cliff. She started shouting for help, but cold, clammy hands shut her mouth. She continued to whimper loudly and thrashed about, trying to loosen herself from their deadly grip. She was overpowered and felt an unnatural force draining her energy and will to fight back. She felt exhausted and on the verge of losing consciousness. Terror and panic filled her every thought. She was going to die.
Suddenly, she heard a loud war cry. The wraiths dropped her on the ground and turned their attention towards the interruption as Jonathan came running out of the woods, swinging King Aditya Dev's sword, snarling with fury. Few of the wraiths, that came in contact with the sword, burst into embers that dissipated into the wind instantly.
The wraith who had been Thomas, gasped in disbelief as he saw the sword in Jonathan's hands. He dropped to his knees and said, "No! It can't be! The King's sword!"
Other wraiths too dropped to their knees and bowed to the sword. Jonathan stopped swinging the blade and brandished it, threateningly, keeping the wraiths away from him. He made his way towards Heather and picked her up.
"Mum, are you alright?" he asked, breathless and sweaty.
"Jonathan! I need to tell you something."
"Can't it wait? Let's get out of here first!"
"No son! I almost died without getting a chance to tell you."
Pulling him closer, she looked him in the eye and said, "I need you to know that I love you. I realize now, that the love I had been searching since Thomas died, had always been right by my side the whole time. I love you, Jonathan, not just as a mother but also as a lover. You are my true soulmate, my dear son."
Proclaiming her love, she pulled him to her and kissed his lips passionately. She could feel his shock at her sudden confession and kiss, but he recovered quickly. He dropped the sword, wrapped his hands around her in a tight hug and kissed her back with all the passion he could muster.
The wraiths started dissolving into thin air as the first rays of the sun peeked from behind the distant hills to find the mother and son wrapped in each other's embrace, lips locked in a passionate kiss.
***
Heather was vaguely aware of Jonathan carrying her back to the camp in his arms. She was still exhausted from her struggle with the wraiths and had barely managed to stay conscious. Back at the camp, she drank some water and rested while he prepared some food.
"What were those things?" he asked.
"I am not sure. My best guess, they were the citizens of Swarnavali who were massacred during the city's destruction. They never got a proper funeral. Their souls are probably trapped in this place forever."
"So, the place is indeed cursed. Those early failed expeditions. Do you think those things might have killed the explorers?"
She shivered. "Possibly. They certainly still revere their king's sword. I didn't know you had that with you."
"I might've snuck it out without permission," he said, sheepishly.
"Thank heavens you did!" she said, smiling. "How did you find me?"
"I had a vivid dream last night. I saw you telling me over and over again that you didn't love me. You said how terrible and sinful it was for me to have feelings for you, unbecoming of a son. You said, I could never be your soulmate. Finally, you told me what a freak I am and I should just end my life out of shame."
She gasped and hugged Jonathan. "Oh, my child! It wasn't me. Those spirits were probably messing with your mind, like they did with me."
"I figured as such. I woke up feeling extremely depressed but realized it was just a dream. I saw your bedroll empty and went in search of you."
She looked into her son's eyes and kissed him again. They both smiled at their new found relationship.
"Shall we turn back? Those things might return," he said.
"I have a feeling that they may not bother us again," she said, pointing at the sword. "We are close to the city. Let's press forward."
***
They continued their journey towards the lost city. The horses had been restless since the appearance of the wraiths, but calmed down as the sun rose higher in the sky. Still tired, Heather tried to rest by closing her eyes often during the slow ride.
"Mum. Look!"
Jonathan's excited voice woke her up. She looked ahead to see two massive broken stone pillars that looked like they were part of some grand archway with stone walls extending on either side.
"The gates of Swarnavali!" she said, looking at Jonathan who was beaming with joy.
"We made it!" he said, giddy with excitement. She laughed. The sight of the gate and walls lifted her spirits and all her weariness disappeared.
They passed through the gate and followed the road within the city. Everywhere they looked, nature had reclaimed the old broken houses and structures. Overgrown trees, shrubs and vines made it difficult to imagine how the place might've looked in its hey days.
The road slowly wound its way towards the sea. The smell of the salt water and moisture on the air was starting to hit them. As they neared the end of the road, the old temple came into view. The stone walls surrounding the temple perimeter were mostly intact, albeit worn down by the sea winds. They dismounted their horses and tied them to nearby trees.
They entered the temple grounds and saw that the compound was expansive, easily spanning an area of twenty acres. Within the compound were many smaller stone structures which had been almost destroyed and worn down to their foundations. The compound walls on the eastern side were completely gone and Heather saw the sea beyond the rows of trees. The entire ground was covered with sands from the beach.
Most of the temple was gone. The front and sides of the structure were caved in and buried in sand, leaving only the rear of the temple still standing.
"Mum, are you seeing this?" Jonathan said, pointing towards the outer wall of the temple.
"Marvelous!" she said. "Looks even better than the ones we saw at Khajuraho."
The entirety of the outer temple walls was covered with erotic sculptures carved into the stone with exquisite craftsmanship. The sculptures depicted mortals as well as divine beings engaged in various sexual activities. Men and women pleasuring each other, engaged in oral sex and sexual intercourse as per the various positions from Kamasutra. The level of detail in those carvings were still visible in some places, while others had been worn smooth.
The mother and son circled the temple, admiring the architecture and workmanship.
"These old temples never fail to fascinate me. The craftsmanship is always awe-inspiring," Jonathan said.
"Indeed. But there's something strange here. Unlike others, this temple seems to be covered only with sexual imagery like I've never seen till date. As if this temple is solely dedicated to sexual pleasures. Shall we go inside, love?"
He nodded and smiled. Holding hands, they climbed the broken worn-out stone steps, mindful of the slippery sand.
More sexual imagery greeted them within the temple. The interior pillars were covered with sensual carvings. They entered the huge central hall of the deity and approached the statue of a goddess at the center. The statue was made out of white marble and was the centerpiece of the entire temple. The artists had done a wonderful job in making it as life like as possible, bringing out the ethereal beauty of the goddess.
The inscription below the statue read -
Queen Charuvaki. 1467 - 1534. First queen of Tosali.
"First queen? Wouldn't she have been the second?" Heather wondered out aloud.
The interior walls were covered in colorful murals, depicting the history of Tosali. One wall showed paintings of sea trade being carried out with distant lands, merchants readying their ships to sail to the islands beyond the sea and citizens bidding them farewell at the docks. Another wall depicted images of the kingdom being formally setup by King Nrusingha Dev and establishing cordial relations with neighboring kingdoms.
Once again, Heather and Jonathan were in awe of the beautiful artistry bringing those murals to life. Being inside the temple, the murals had survived the destruction and were a sight to behold.
"Mum! Look!" Jonathan caught her hand and pulled her towards another wall. Murals on this wall depicted the life of Queen Charuvaki.
The first mural showed the king and queen in their regal attire. The king was seated on the throne, while the queen stood next to him. An inscription below the painting read -
Queen Charuvaki with her first husband, King Nrusingha Dev.
Heather and Jonathan looked at each other, eyes wide with shock as realization hit them hard. Even before looking at the next mural, they knew what it said. It showed Charuvaki playing with a young boy in a garden. The inscription read -
Queen Charuvaki with her son, Prince Aditya Dev.
Heather squeezed Jonathan's hand as she took in this new information. The next mural showed Aditya Dev being crowned king on the palace balcony. The next one depicted the wedding of Aditya Dev with his mother, Charuvaki. The inscription read -
King Aditya Dev and Queen Charuvaki joined in holy matrimony in accordance with the king's new law which states - 'Consensual sexual relationship between adult kin is henceforth legalized throughout Tosali. Such unions are also eligible to be solemnized.'
The wall ended with the mural depicting Charuvaki's death, 28 years later.
Heather and Jonathan moved to the final wall which started with the mural showing King Aditya Dev overseeing the construction of the temple. The next image showed the temple's inauguration. The inscription read -
The temple inauguration on the wedding anniversary of the king and queen. King Aditya Dev establishes the late Queen Charuvaki as a goddess to be worshipped in the temple. The day is henceforth to be celebrated as a joyous festival, commemorating the late queen. The king invites all familial couples in Tosali to congregate in the temple grounds every year, to celebrate the festival through carnal activities.
The next mural was the last one and the largest of them all. It showed a view of the festival celebrations on the temple ground as seen from within the temple's first floor landing. Scores of couples laid on the ground where ever they pleased, engaged in various sexual positions.
Heather gasped as she recognized the scene from her dream the night before. Somehow, she had been shown a vision of the past where she had seen the festival celebrations within the temple. She looked around and sure enough she could make out the weathered stone walls and pillars were the same from her dream. She remembered the naked couples making love. The young girl riding an older man. The young man pumping into a mature woman. They were father-daughter and mother-son! I witnessed real incestuous sex!
Suddenly, she felt elated, as if a huge burden had been lifted off her heart. Everything became clearer in her mind. She had been a young girl when she had fallen in love with Thomas and vowed to be his, forever, accompanying him across the world. He had been her first and only love. But to find her true love after all these years in a distant land, far from home, was divine providence. Jonathan, her own son, her flesh and blood, was her true love. Her journey of discovery and accepting her son as her lover had led her straight to this very temple built to celebrate incestuous love. Was it a mere coincidence? She didn't think so. It was fate. It was her destiny.
She looked at Jonathan, who was still engrossed in the mural. She no longer saw only her son. She saw her lover, her man, her true soul mate. In this temple of incest, she was finally ready to take their relationship to the next phase, to cross the threshold that very few mothers get to do. She turned around to look at the statue of Charuvaki. The sun was on its way down into the western horizon and orange sunlight streamed onto the statue. The queen's visage was mesmerizing; an angelic beauty. Heather felt a strong bond towards the long dead queen.
You felt these emotions for your son, too, didn't you? Thank you for leading me here and opening my eyes. What I was searching for all these years had always been by my side. I was just too blind to see him.Overcome with emotions, tears started streaming down her face. She cried freely. Jonathan looked at her with concern.
"Mum...?"
She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest. He hugged her back. As the emotional outburst receded, she looked at him and said, "I love you, my son. Take me. Make me yours."
"Oh, mum," he sighed and kissed her passionately on the lips.
***
The mother and son were delirious with passion as they frantically undressed each other. As Heather's blouse and skirt came off, Jonathan pulled her close and kissed her neck and shoulders, taking in the smell of her skin. He pulled up the hem of her shift and squeezed her butt cheeks, eliciting a cute little squeal from her. She pulled off his shirt and trousers, leaving him in his drawers. She got hold of his poking manhood and squeezed it through the fabric. Their underclothes soon hit the floor and they were back to their lip lock, naked bodies pressed against each other.
"Can't wait anymore, my love. I need your cock in me now!"
She kissed his chest and nipped his left nipple rather strongly. He groaned loudly and lifted her off the floor. She circled her legs around his waist and locked them at his back. He pushed her back against the nearest wall, supporting her weight between his body and the wall. He drove his hips forward, plunging his rock-hard spear into her slick forbidden orifice.
Heather moaned as she felt her son's bloated helmet suddenly part her wet labial lips and fill up her birth canal completely. Thirteen years of abstinence made her feel like a virgin, as her tight cunt muscles struggled to accommodate her son's massive girth. Jonathan jostled to steady himself and support her weight better. The maneuver served to shove his cock deeper into her vagina. As her labial lips kissed the base of his shaft, she felt as if her body recognized a part of itself returning home after all these years. Her son had finally taken his rightful place inside her.
"Uh, Jonathan!" She let out a loud cry, reveling at the feeling of his manhood throbbing and pulsing within her. His cock was a perfect fit. Her pussy walls formed a tight seal around the veined muscular cylinder.
Jonathan pushed himself in and out of her, as she clung to his body. With his every thrust, she bounced up and down the smooth stone wall. She bit his left shoulder passionately, leaving love bites on his skin. That egged him further to pound her pussy more ferociously, driving his phallus into her dripping wet love-hole like a battering ram. He was panting with the effort of holding her up and fucking her at the same time. Both mother and son were covered in beads of sweat due to the exertion.
After few minutes of intense sex, he grunted, "Oh! Mum! I am cumming!"
"Yes, my love. Give it to me. Cum inside me, son!"
As he cried out loud, she felt her son's manhood expand even more, pulsating inside her as it spewed forth torrents of hot semen. Strong, powerful jets of cum erupted from his cock, flooding the insides of her motherly pussy, driving her off the edge. With a loud moan of pleasure, she tightened her legs around his waist and dug her fingernails into his back as she climaxed on her son's cock.
Completely exhausted, the mother and son slumped to the floor, basking in the sexual euphoria in each other's arms.
Jonathan looked at her and said, "That was the best experience of my life! I love you so much."
Heather smiled. "And I love you too, dear. You've no idea how long I've waited for this."
"I hope it was worth the wait, mum. Any regrets?"
"Only one, that I didn't do it sooner. I guess we'll just have to make up for the lost time."
They lay there on the floor, catching their breaths and looking up at the murals.
"Remember that chapter in The History of Kausala? What a bunch of lies! Absolutely no mentions of these at all," he said, gesturing at the images.
"Well, it didn't exactly lie. More like left out key details. I guess a whole incestuous kingdom would've been quite scandalous."
By the time they recovered from their exhaustion, the sun had already set and it was getting dark. They got dressed and brought the horses and their luggage inside the temple compound. After preparing dinner, they sat on the temple stairs, enjoying the food, the cool sea breeze, the starry night and each other's company.
They made their sleeping arrangements inside the temple by spreading their bedrolls on the stone floor. For the first time, they joined their bedrolls making it a double bedding.
No more sleeping apart! Heather thought giddily.
The mother and son embraced as they got into the bed naked, touching and caressing each other. The urgency of their first sexual encounter was gone. Having satisfied their primal lust in the evening, both were content to just explore each other's bodies. Jonathan caressed and kissed her breasts, sucking her erect nipples and rolling them with his tongue. Heather soon felt her son's erection nudging her thigh. She gave it a few leisurely strokes. Pushing him on to the bedroll on his back, she straddled his waist. Taking his hard cock in her hand, she rubbed the bloated head along her moist pussy lips, lubricating it, preparing it. She fed the mushroom head of her son's stake into her labial slit and slowly impaled herself on it. As she lowered herself completely, her pussy lips formed a tight seal at the base of his cock where their pubic hairs mingled. Her son's manhood stretched her deliciously and touched places within her she didn't knew existed.
"Oh mum! That feels so good!" Jonathan moaned, thrusting up his hips.
Heather smiled and started riding her son into the night.
***
Next morning, Heather woke up to the gentle warm sunlight on her naked body, streaming through the temple windows from the east. A highly pleasurable sensation coursed through her body. She opened her eyes and looked down to find her son between her legs, licking her pussy. She sighed and closed her eyes again, enjoying the pleasure.
"I could get used to such a wake-up routine."
"And I can get used to such a delicious breakfast every morning."
She felt his fingers gently part her outer fleshy lips as he licked her inner labial lips with his broad flattened tongue. She moaned and placed her right hand on his head, moving her fingers through his blond locks. With her left hand, she played with her left breast, pinching the erect nipple.
After having her pussy licked for a few minutes, she felt him insert a slick finger into her cunt. He moved his finger in and out of her while fluttering his tongue over her sensitive clitoris. She squirmed as a familiar tingling sensation started building up in her.
"Oh, my God! Right there, son. Right there!" Heather cried as she guided Jonathan to stay on that spot.
As he finger-fucked her slowly, moving his tongue in a circular motion over her clitoral hood, she felt her body becoming taut like a bow. Her moans gradually became incoherent cries as she slowly climbed the heights of pleasure. Her son's tongue fluttered over her clitoris with increasing speed as his finger moved in and out of her with urgency. With a loud cry, she lifted her hips off the floor, convulsing as a massive orgasm hit her. Her pussy became flooded with her juices and she went limp like a rag doll as the built-up sexual tension was released from her body. She put her hands on his head, pushing him gently away from her extremely sensitive clit and pussy, begging him to stop.
He moved up next to her and embraced her as she closed her eyes and relaxed in sexual bliss. Few minutes later, her eyes fell on a pillar near the entrance of the hall. She vaguely recognized it from her dream and a delicious idea formed in her mind.
"That was wonderful, dear! Would you mind standing near that pillar, leaning against it?"
Jonathan stood up, his naked body glowing in the morning light, and walked over to the pillar. As he stood leaning against it, she knelt between his outstretched legs and took his erection in her hands. Finally in the daylight, she was able to get a good look of this wonderful manhood which had brought her such incredible pleasures the day before.
So beautiful! she thought. Her son's thick, circumcised cock was at least 7" long, with a large pink head. She gripped the shaft with one hand and marveled at his girth as the tips of her thumb and middle-finger barely touched each other. Thick greenish veins ran across its pale skin, trapping the blood within the flesh, keeping it warm and erect, making it throb. His big testicles hung heavily in their scrotal sac. Tilting the shaft upwards, she placed a gentle wet kiss on the underside of the soft bloated head. She heard her son sigh as a pearly, translucent drop of pre-cum appeared on his piss slit.
She placed light kisses all over her son's cock and balls. She licked the cock head, wiping away the drop of pre-cum as another drop took its place. She looked up and saw him looking at her intently. Without breaking eye contact, she slowly opened her mouth wide and took his glans into her mouth and gently sucked on it. She smiled as he threw his head back in pleasure.
"Oh mum!" he groaned.
She swirled her tongue around his sensitive glans and flicked it across his piss slit. She was in awe of his length and girth as she struggled and failed to take it all in her mouth. Momentarily taking his cock out of her mouth, she sucked and licked his pendulous balls, slathering them with saliva. She took his cock back in her mouth and she sucked on it while jerking him off at the same time.
After few minutes of her working on his manhood, Jonathan said, "Mum, I can't hold much longer!"
"Give it to me, dear. Cum in my mouth," Heather said and sped up her efforts.
He groaned loudly, gripping the pillar, as he finally erupted. She felt his cock head bulge as thick ropes of semen blasted into her mouth, hitting the back of her throat. She swallowed everything her son had to offer, relishing its slimy texture and slightly tangy taste. She stayed with his cock as the jets of cum gradually reduced to a dribble. Giving a final suck to extract the last of his sperm, she took his cock out of her mouth and kissed the glans and balls.
***
The sun had fully come up as the mother and son got dressed. They had an important work to complete.
Heather took out the bronze jar, containing King Aditya Dev's ashes, from her bag and handed it to Jonathan. They came down the stairs of the temple to make their way towards the beach. As they reached the ground, wraiths started appearing in thin air, all around them. Jonathan was immediately on guard as hundreds of wraiths appeared all over the temple ground. He put his hand on the hilt of the king's sword that we wore on his waist.
"Relax. They are not here for us," Heather said, stopping him from pulling out the sword from its scabbard.
She took the lead, pulling him towards the beach. The wraiths around them parted to give way. As the mother and son walked towards the sea, the wraiths started walking behind them.
"It's a funeral procession. They're here to pay their respects to their beloved king," she said.
Crossing the line of trees, Heather and Jonathan soon reached the beautiful, pristine, sandy beach. The clear water lapped the shores with gentle waves. They waded into the water, until they were knee deep.
She looked back at the beach. The wraiths stood there, watching. Jonathan opened the jar and scattered the ashes around in the water. The waves carried the ashes away. When she looked back again, the wraith who had impersonated Thomas, gave them a slight nod of gratitude. All the wraiths dissipated into the air, leaving the mother and son alone.
***
The sound of the waves beating the sandy beach was music to Heather's ears, soothing and meditative, as Jonathan's cock ploughed her slick pussy. Her vagina stretched around her son's long thick spear as it massaged her cunt walls.
It was mid-morning. They had discarded their clothes and relaxed on the sandy beach, enjoying the waves, naked. He had soon developed an impressive erection. She had obliged by laying on the beach on her back, spreading her legs wide as her son mounted her. It had been almost half an hour of her enjoying the blissful slow love making as he timed his thrusts into her motherly hole with the crashing of the waves. Thrusting in as the waves hit the beach, pausing, then slowly pulling out as the water receded into the sea.
The tail end of the waves touched the coupling mother and son, keeping them wet and cool as they made sweet love, while the sun rose up in the sky. They moved in unison, kissing, keeping their eyes open, lost in each other's gaze. With every inward thrust, Heather's pussy clasped at her son's shaft, gently caressing the thick veined flesh and resisting its withdrawal.
Tears of joy and pure carnal bliss began flowing from her eyes as overwhelming waves of pleasure swept through her body. She arched her back and began to spasm, her cunt muscles tightening around her son's cock. A massive orgasm originated from her pussy and radiated across her whole body. Jonathan sucked on her nipples, biting them gently and amplifying her climax as her juices bathed his manhood. Her moans and cries of passion were drowned out by the waves.
Jonathan stopped thrusting temporarily as Heather rode out her orgasm. "Oh God! I have never experienced such pleasure before, my love!" she said, kissing him. "Make me cum again, son."
Mother and son connected at the genitals slid up the beach since the waves had eroded the sand from under them. Settling down once more, he slowly began to thrust into her hot pussy, building the pace gradually. She moaned again and again as she began to match her son's thrusts with her hips. Her round heavy breasts rolled around her chest. He reached down and lifted her legs one at a time and draped them over his shoulders.
Heather groaned louder as her son sank into the deepest parts of her pussy. He picked up pace and pounded her vagina relentlessly with long powerful strokes as she reached her second orgasm. Her cunt muscles clamped down and milked his shaft. He thrust into her one last time, burying deep inside as his orgasm finally hit him. Massive torrents of cum erupted out of his cock into her pussy, drenching the inner walls of her vagina and inundating her warm slick birth canal.
Mother and son kissed hungrily as they rode out their mutual orgasms. With his hard cock still inside her, Jonathan looked into her eyes and said, "I love you, mum. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
***
Heather stood on the balcony of her new house in England, sipping hot tea on a cold winter morning.
It was more than a year since she and Jonathan had become lovers on that fateful day when they had discovered Swarnavali. They had gotten married in the ancient temple after she had agreed to her son's proposal. They knew that no Church or religious institution would marry a mother and son, so what better than to get married inside the very temple built in honor of incestuous love. They had said their marital vows in front of the statue of Charuvaki and had solemnized their wedding.
Bidding adieu to the lost city and kingdom, they had made their way to Calcutta. Reporting at the East India Company's headquarters, they had fabricated a story of how they had lost their way in the jungles and had never found the ancient city. They knew that the snobbish company officials would never accept a temple dedicated to incest and may tear it down completely. Better to let it remain hidden.
Finally, after 15 long years, Heather and Jonathan had returned to England and settled down in Surrey, where no one knew them. They had bought a house on the country side and started a new life as husband and wife.
As Heather stood, sipping tea, Jonathan came to the balcony and snuggled into her from behind. She smiled at him and kissed his lips. He placed both his hands on her swollen belly and rubbed it gently. Heather was 7 months pregnant with her son's child.
They had already decided the names. A baby boy named Aditya or a baby girl named Charuvaki.
The End