Alyssa drifted gracefully around the room igniting the oil lamps that bathed their dormitory in a warm orange glow. Once the task was completed Alyssa moved to take her place in the circle with her fellow companions in training, this had become a near daily ritual since the arrival of Inara Serra.

Alyssa sat herself on a large emerald cushion at the head of the circle and gazed around the circle all the woman were lithe, tanned and unimaginably attractive however none of them compared to Inara. She had taught them all so much in the short time she’d been with them and yet there was always more to learn, however she always preferred to avoid the act of sex as much as possible. Many stories were abound about her past, ‘many of them put out by me’ Alyssa thought to herself with amusement.

“So my mei meis what tale shall a weave for you tonight?” she asked the room at large as she made herself more comfortable on the cushion, the mutterings were broken by a timid voice from the back of the group.

“Why not tell the ‘Sacred Love’ story Alyssa?” the voice asked as a heart shaped face made itself seen.

“Come now Jana we heard that only two nights ago” said a bored voice from the front row.

“I know that but it’s my favourite I’d like to hear it again and I’m sure I’m not the only one” Jana retorted at Virmilla’s comment as a new wave of muttering broke out in the sound of general agreement.

Alyssa smiled indulgently raising a placating hand to which all conversation stop and only the dull his of the oil lamps could be heard, she liked to build suspense this way.

“Captain Reynolds had just rescued Inara Serra from her captors and was attempting to make his escape in a small shuttle when they were hit by an anti aircraft gun their craft plummeting to the ground. Malcolm snatched up the only parachute and put into Inara’s hands ‘if only one of us makes it out I want it to be you’ he told here, but Inara threw it away. ‘I wont leave with out you and there’s no life if not with you’ she replied and strapped hers