Tales of a Tenderfoot "The Vixen and the Hound" Part Five (Adult Fantasy TK Story)
“The Wheel of Destiny Turns”
It was well known that the Lady of the Morning Dew was as old as the Elfling King himself.
Her memory went back over thousands of years. She could recall the first coming of the Doom that Creeps. She had witnessed the rise and fall of Realms. She had seen the coming and going of many races as well.
It was blood of the Ancient Fae that ran through her veins. Elflings and Fae are known to be distant cousins, and the Lady of the Morning Dew had a bit of Glamour in her and that was more than apparent.
She was beautiful. Not a seductive beauty that stole your soul. A admirable beauty of perfection that inspired you to great things. Her face, her body, her voice, her poise; all were harmoniously in sync with each other. She was admired and courted by all the Realms. The Maker sent her gifts. The Rings and the Wheel of Destiny were designed by him to be used for her leisure. Every ruler sent her gifts intent on gaining her favor.
The Lady of the Morning Dew had another name at one time but it was lost over time. She was named the Lady of the the Morning Dew because she has an affinity with the morning and the drops of water that appeared so mysteriously upon the leaves of the forest. She had mastered the magic of the dew and used it effectively. If she could remember her other name, she did not bother to mention it to any of her subjects. It was not mentioned in any of the oldest history books.
Her older sibling, the Elfling King, did not appreciate the affection showered upon his sister. She was fair and charming and loved by all. While he was hated and despised by all. It was even whispered among many a Realmswalker that the true ruler of the Elfling Realm was her and not the Elfling King.
That was simply too much for the Elfling King to bear.
He could not bring himself to send her to his dungeon. He could not bring himself to poison her or have her killed in some other secretive manner. She was of his own blood and sororicide would not do. He might have tried to have her married off to another Realms Lord, but he hated and despised them all. Her mere existence would be a trophy for one of his rivals and a reminder of how beautiful and young she was in appearance and how old and hateful he was.
The Elfling King was a conniving and scheming sort. He loved the game of politics and he would take advantage of any opportunity to push forward his interests.
He would finally set in motion a series of events that would lead inevitably to his sister’s downfall.
Rumors were set in motion by the Elfling King that reached the always keen ear of Queen Melca of the Fae. Gossip that whispered that the Lady of the Morning Dew considered her more beautiful than anyone in the Realms, including the Queen of the Fae. While Queen Melca was without a doubt the master seductress of the entire Realms, she did not possess the wholesome beauty of the Lady of the Morning Dew.
The Elfling King planted the seeds of the Fae Queen’s jealousy that would eventually go to long lengths to affect his sister.
Queen Melca conjured powerful spells and sent the Lady of the Morning Dew a magical mirror. It was a mirror made of silver and decorated with jewels of every color. It was crafted by the Maker and it was a gift she enjoyed much. But her jealousy ran deeper than her love of the mirror and she sent it away with the knowledge that the Lady of the Morning Dew would not be able to resist such a gift.
The Lady of the Morning Dew was vain like most pretty females and when the mirror arrived delivered by a company of pink Pixies, she did not hesitate to look into the mirror to see her famed countenance.
She saw her beauty, but the mirror darkened and she gazed upon the face of Queen Melca.
Her beauty was great as well but her face was twisted and poisoned with envy. Her three eyes narrowed upon the Elfling and the Lady could feel them like daggers being cast upon her.
“I see your beauty and I dare admit that it is greater than even mine,” she said each word simmering in venom as she uttered them. “This shall be the last time you gaze upon your beauty. And any who do dare witness it will be cursed. One will get only one look at the Lady of the Morning Dew. One terrible look at your beauty will spell doom to any and all who gaze upon your face. This is my gift to you. There is no undoing of the spell. There is no end to your curse. Farewell, darling friend.”
The mirror cracked and The Lady of the Morning Dew felt magic run over her.
Her subjects looked at her and they turned into stone statues. Everyone around her was turned to stone. She could not believe what was happening.
Most of her court was turned to stone before the Elfling King himself came to cover her face with his cloak and comforted her gently while smiling with grim satisfaction.
He brought the greatest spell casters in the Realm to aid break the spell. But the Elfling King had his own agenda and the spell casters only reinforced the work Queen Melca had done. It became too complex a spell to be undone.
It was realized that cold iron would negate the effect of the spell, but it negated also her magic and part of her beauty was also magical. She remained beautiful without her magic, but not quite as beautiful.
Ultimately, she preferred the curse than to sacrifice her beauty. Perhaps that was the intent of Queen Melca from the very beginning.
It hurt her to be beautiful and at the same time not be observed even by herself in a mirror. Rumors spread quickly of the fate that fell upon all who witness her terrible beauty and the Lady’s suitors quickly disappeared while the gifts and visits abruptly ended. She grew more and more detached from the responsibilities and social life of the court and the Realms. An agreement was reached with her brother and she was given an isolated part of the Elfling Realm for her to rule. She would have her own subjects and she would command that territory as sole ruler.
She was content in her hidden part of the Elfling Realm where she was to rule away from the affairs of the Realms. Over time she felt even more content then she had been in the Elfling King’s Court. She had her own Elfling subjects who she selected to be the most loyal and the most disciplined of the female warriors. She would enhance them over the years into a formidable cadre of warriors that could hold its own against any in the Realms.
Trespassers were fair game for the Lady and her warriors. That is what entertained her the most. There was always someone wandering into the woods. She had no lack of guests. The Dust of Forgetfulness kept her small fortress secret when her guests were released making sure no one gathered ideas to return avenge themselves. Her beauty took care of those who did not escape.
It was agreed that she was to pay a tribute every year to maintain her autonomy, and she never failed to pay the amount. There were always enough guests and her tickling Rings were very efficient in extracting magic from her reluctant guests. She could gather more magic than she could effectively spend even with the hefty tribute.
Seeking the Lady of the Morning Dew became less and less popular. Over the years, The Lady became a legend. Those who sought her, either failed and returned forgetful and disorientated, or they returned not at all.
This suited Queen Melca and the Elfling King quite well.
And in a way it also suited the Lady of the Morning Dew.
* * * * *
The golden arrow pointed at the wheel and gently clicked as each peg circling the round wheel passed.
Vivian and Nate watched the wheel turn. It slowed and seemed to stop on Blue which would mean forgetfulness salvation, but it gave one last ominous click and it ended on the white portion of the wheel.
“Very well, Fate has spoken,” the Lady said quite satisfied at the result. “I’d usually reserve this for the entertainment of my minions, but I will make an exception. I will have no more daring escapes or brazen rescues; the Scourge escaping was already more than I care to bear.”
Nate noticed the door open minutely and a figure crept in. He dared not betray the presence by looking at the figure.
“Gaze upon the beauty of the Lady of the Morning Dew,” she said as she prepared to lift her veil. Nate and Vivian tried to look away but realized that they could not. Suddenly a loud crack was heard and the Lady collapsed to the ground unconscious, her veil covering once again her face. Nate and Vivian both looked at the figure at the door and recognized Patrisa who had thrown one of her fighting sticks with expert precision at the back of the Lady’s head.
“They've called off the search,” Patrisa said businesslike. “I have your gear including weapons,” she added tossing them on to a nearby table. “And I've raided the treasure room.”
“You don’t look like you’re carrying much,” Nate observed not seeing any of the mentioned treasure.
“Appearances are deceiving,” Patrisa said releasing Nate from the ring and then doing the same with Vivian. They quickly dressed in their clothes and felt more comfortable now that they were armed.
“The bump on the head is just a bump. It won’t keep her out for long,” Patrisa observed. “She told her guards that she would be a while and that they should not interrupt her. Your darts don’t have a long enough effect, Nathan. We could tie her up...”
A meaningful look was reflected on their faces as smiles crept on to the sides of their faces simultaneously.
“Are you thinking what we are?” Vivian asked Patrisa knowing Nate’s exact thoughts and seeing no need to confirm them.
“The wisest action would be to leave immediately and escape,” Patrisa said her smile broadening. “But I suppose we have a few minutes...”
* * * * *
The Lady of the Morning Dew awoke with a noticeable bump on the back of her head.
She attempted to reach the back of her head with her hand to rub the bump when she realized she was unable to.
She was restrained. She was naked save a white loincloth. Her arms were held out to her sides and her feet were together. Her body was restrained in a ring forming a ‘T’.
Her first reaction was panic.
She could not recall the last time she had been restrained. Voluntarily or otherwise. She was of the dominant sort. There was love of dominating over her enemies, not of submitting to them. It was she who restrained others, she who tickled others and she who controlled others.
But not this time.
She groggily looked around and realized her veil had been removed. Her magic was neutralized by the cold iron in the ring.
She looked ahead and saw a mirror had been placed in front of her line of vision. It was an old dusty mirror that must have been laying around in the dungeon for some time.
She saw her reflection for the first time in hundreds of years.
Her reflection was beautiful despite the quality of the mirror. It was not a terrible beauty like her beauty when endued by magic, but a simple perfect beauty even without the magic. She had Elfling eyes that like with all Elflings were pupil-less. They were dark and they had an unusual bit of a blue tinge in them.
She knew what was happening.
“The iron in the rings affects the magic,” she said evenly. “There is no danger of becoming a statue when looking upon my face.”
The three former prisoners stepped out in front of her.
“I thought the cold iron would negate your magic,” the Scourge said. “But I wanted to be certain.”
“It negates all aspects of my magic,” the Lady answered looking down on her captors.
“I thought you would be like screaming for the guards or something like that,” Nate said.
“The problem with protecting your minions with Runes of Invulnerability is that what they gain in resolve and tenacity, they lack in imagination and criteria,” she explained. “They were told to wait until my return. They will wait until I return or until some other responsibility sends them here. To scream like a helpless idiot is unseemly of a woman of noble bearing and it will not help my cause.”
“You did not use the Rune of Invulnerability on yourself,” Vivian stated. It was not a question.
“No,” the Lady answered.
“You do understand what we plan to do with you?” Patrisa asked.
The Lady’s heart skipped a beat. Of course she knew. She dreaded the thought, but she would not show any weakness to these ruffians.
“I could tell you that I will punish you beyond your wildest dreams, but that is goes without saying. The Wheel of Destiny has already decided. It is never wrong. Do what you will. Your fate is decided.”
“We’ve drawn lots and our friend, the Hound, has won your feet and legs,” Patrisa said. “I must admit that you’ve been quite civilized about this. Any final requests?”
“Yes. Gag me,” she demanded. “Like I said, I do no wish to scream like a bubbling idiot. Once your young friend starts touching me, I cannot respond for the reactions of my body.”
“I want to hear you laugh, Lady,” the Hound said. “I’ll go slow at first. When it becomes too much for you, we’ll gag you. Is that acceptable?”
“Hardly,” the Lady said her mouth twisting in a concerned frown. “But I feel I have little to say in these matters.”
The Hound positioned himself at her feet and she looked down upon them.
Her big toe was larger than the rest while the rest were mostly the same size. It was a small and soft foot which had not tread upon the ground for as long as she could remember.
The Hound pressed a button on the tickling ring and it went back laying the Lady on her back leaving her horizontal.
He looked at her as he touched her soles.
She squirmed as he touched them firmly and rubbed them in his warm hands.
“Never seen feet this soft,” he mentioned as he gently massaged her feet. “You’ve never walked on the ground with these feet?”
“Not that I recall,” the Lady answered biting her lip. She could barely recall the last time she had been tickled. The memory of the act of being tickled lingered on the edge of her mind. She did not want to be tickled. But deep in the back of her mind she wondered exactly how she would react after having gone so long without being tickled.
“Ok, here we go,” the Hound said. He drew a finger up the arch of her sole. The arch was very pronounced and it was insanely ticklish. She felt a tense feeling just above her stomach and then she felt laughter begin to swell inside. As the finger rounded the curve, the Lady involuntarily burst with pleasant laughter.
She laughed as if she were enjoying herself. Light tickling had that effect on her. It brought smiles to the faces of her captors. She would frown and narrow her eyes intent on striking back, but there was way she could keep a straight face with those fingers on her soles.
The Hound touched her toes and she tightened them in a vise-like grip. Beneath her toes she knew she was especially ticklish and she automatically curled them to keep the most vulnerable spots safe.
He was skilled and instead of insisting and forcing back her toes, he went around tickling her arches and her heels making her laugh helplessly.
“Better gag her,” the Hound said after a few minutes of laughter. “I’m bringing out the big guns.”
Patrisa took a handkerchief and placed the center in her mouth and tied it tightly behind her head.
The Hound held her foot tightly and subtly placed her big toe in his mouth and began to suck gently. It was tight as the rest of her toes but a bigger target and he managed to fit a big part of it into his mouth.
The Lady had never experienced that before. The effect was sensual and not so ticklish at all. She moaned gently into the gag feeling herself strangely excited. He continued focusing his attention on that sole big toe. She began to melt away and relax. It was as involuntary as the tickling itself; she simply could not help herself. She enjoyed the attention on her toe. Her toes slowly uncurled and he began to welcome the rest of the toes to his warm mouth and lips. He moaned more deeply and she fully relaxed her toes. The Hound patiently waited until all her toes where relaxed and open and and at her moment of maximum vulnerability his agile fingers fit in between her toes on both feet. She instantly tightened her toes on his fingers clamping them into place. He had only to wiggle them gently to make her scream helplessly into her gag.
She was thankful for the gag for now she really was screaming like a helpless idiot.
The Hound smiled as he realized he could tickle but he could not pull his fingers out of the Lady’s toes. It was then that the Vixen attacked.
She attacked without warning. Her hands tickled her inner thighs savagely raking her sensitive spots near the edge of the loincloth and underneath. The Animus bit at her sides gently which was also an excruciatingly ticklish spot and more so since she had never experienced teeth nibbling at her sides and ribs. The fox headed Animus finally raised the stakes by nuzzling into her deep round bellybutton with her furry face. The fur tickled even more than expected and made the Lady shake and scream even more.
The Hound had gone back to stroking her soles gently allowing her companion to unleash the worst of the torture. Her body was shaking and she was beginning to feel light headed.
The pair slowed down the intensity of their tickling. The Hound caressed softly her calves and the Vixen teased her navel scratching the inner edge with her fingernail.
The Scourge now approached.
She had not been around very many years, but she was already a notorious tickler. Her exploits reached the ear of the Lady of the Morning Dew on a frequent basis. The Lady now feared that the worst was yet to come.
The Scourge gently placed her warm hands on her breasts. They were not large breasts, but for an Elfling they were of a more robust size. She massaged them lightly and the Lady became irritated as how her small nipples became gradually erect. She did not want to be affected this way and she bit her lip angrily.
“It makes you more sensitive,” the Scourge explained the unasked question.
Before the Lady could react to the statement, the Scourge’s fingers teased her nipples lightly making her laugh and then circled the areolae lightly making her shake with sensual and ticklish reactions. The Scourge then increased the pressure of her tickling pressing her fingernails deeper into the sides of the breasts and then culminated with full outright tickling of her underarms.
She screamed helplessly once again into the gag. The tickling went on for what might seem an eternity.
The Hound shifted to the back of her knees and the Vixen tickled her back. Both were ticklish spots and they exploited them thoroughly.
The Scourge also shifted as the Lady must have seemed visibly exhausted to them and on the brink of oblivion which the Lady welcomed. She teased the Lady’s ears and neck. The Lady had forgotten how ticklish those places could be and she laughed deeply into the gag.
They teased her for a while and then she watched the Scourge signal to the rest of her companions silently wording with her lips, “One, two...”
The Lady clamped shut her eyes.
The Hound scratched her soles in a vigorous manner. The Vixen dug her nails deep into her ribs and blew her lips against her belly. The Scourge she expected on her underarms but she did not expect her nibbling on her sensitive ears.
The sensations combined made the Lady scream horribly. He body which never sweat was now glistening with drops of perspiration. Tears streaked down her eyes and her body entered convulsions. It was not long before she welcomed the soft soothing darkness as she passed out into sweet oblivion.
* * * * *
Nate had come to admire the Lady. She was beautiful and ticklish and she had not begged for mercy. She took it with dignity and poise.
He scratched a notch onto his blowpipe and blew away the excess material.
“I’m especially proud of this one,” he said running his thumb over the new notch while he looked down on the Lady’s sleeping form.
The red gem that represented her magic rested above her forehead.
“We could leave her on the machine,” Patrisa suggested gathering her gear. “She’s done it to many thousands more than us and she’ll do it to many thousands more in the future.”
“Machines are impersonal,” Nate said. “They lack the personal touch. The subtle tease.”
“I agree,” Vivian said. “Although she’d do that and more to us if she had the chance.”
“It’s agreed,” Patrisa said taking the gem from the Lady’s forehead.
Nate placed the gown over her nearly naked body and admired her sleeping form.
“Let’s get going,” Vivian said pulling on his sleeve. “She’s pretty, but pretty only goes so far.”
“I know,” Nate said kissing Vivian on the lips.
“I’m a lucky guy,” he added as they left the dungeon cell.
* * * * *
The companions escaped from the Elfling Realm that very day.
The most difficult part was evading the sentries of the Lady of the Morning Dew. As soon as they escaped to the Elfling Realm they took several wormholes to erase their trail and finally ended up in the clouds of the Wundermarket.
The market in the clouds was the one part of the Realms that no ruler laid claim to. It was a place were the only authority were the multi-racial merchants of magic who were rather lax on laws and rules. For the most part, if it didn’t interfere with business, it was probably okay.
It had seemed that their efforts had amounted to very little, but when it came time to divide the spoils inside a room of inn, Vivian and Nate discovered their share was much greater than they had expected.
“It is a bottomless pouch. A prized possession on loan from a friend,” Patrisa explained emptying the contents of a plain burlap pouch on to the floor of the room. “Not quite bottomless but I practically emptied the treasury.”
It was a huge amount of treasure. More than they could have ever imagined was possible to extract from the fortress of the Lady of the Morning Dew. They were up to their knees in magical gems by the time the pouch emptied and Patrisa’s insistent shaking could extract no more gems.
“We made a deal, and I am one to honor it,” Patrisa said. “Half for me, half for you two.”
They spent the better part of a day in dividing the huge amount of treasure. Patrisa placed her part in her bottomless pouch and by the time she finished storing her part, there was considerably less gems in the room, but still enough to ransom a king.
“I will deliver my part to my Mistress Madame Jordanna,” Patrisa said as she finished storing her gems in the bag. “We have an Academy where we train young ticklers and make them powerful warriors or spellcasters. You have quite a bit of skill yourselves. You are welcome to join me if you wish. We just lost a spellcaster not so long ago and we could really use some extra skilled Realmswalkers.”
“It had been a pleasure working with you. You have been more than honorable and fair with us,” Vivian said. “But we’re a team and we will follow our own path.”
“I understand,” Patrisa said. “What you have is special. I had that once. Don’t let it out of your grasp if it is in your power to do something about it.”
“We won’t. Good luck with your Academy,” Nate said. “I’m certain we will hear good things of it soon enough.”
“You will,” Patrisa said clasping hands with both of her companions. “All the best Spell Casters and Warriors will come from the Academy. Some already have.”
The Scourge smiled and turned and left the room closing the door behind her.
Nate watched her from the window as she left the inn and walked confidently into crowded streets of the Wundermarket teeming with merchants, Spell Casters and personalities of all sorts.
“I won’t let you out of my grasp,” Nate said wrapping his arms around Vivian and pulling her near.
“Promise me that if for any reason I should get out of your grasp, you’ll always track me down until the end of the world and beyond,” Vivian said softly running her fingers through his short black hair.
“I promise,” Nate swore solemnly.
* * * * *
Days passed.
Nate and Vivian slowly removed the treasure from the inn to a secret safe house where Vivian was certain it would be safe and out of the way. It was a huge amount of magic. There was no real need for it. But it meant they would not worry about cash problems for a very long time. For a couple of adventurers like themselves was a very good thing.
Busy days were followed by busy nights of intense tickling and lovemaking.
The innkeeper was more concerned of the loud screams and laughter from their room than the frequent coming and goings during the day as they moved the gems to a safer place.
He did not make too much of a fuss though. They after all were paying customers.
Nate had strange dreams at night. Most were about the Lady of the Morning Dew and how she promised she would turn him to stone. He’d awake in the morning stiff and unrested wondering if it was the dream, the mattress or the physical strain of the last few days.
It didn’t seem to come as much of a surprise one night when he had another dream which made him feel stiff and immobile.
It was a vivid dream of a huge snake wrapping itself around his arms and his legs. He began to feel more and more desperate as the snake tightened its grip on his limbs and body. Finally feeling that he could not move and he could not breathe, he awoke abruptly only to discover that he was being held up in the air by some shadowy coils.
Vivian was next to him also bound by the shadow coils. They were suspended above the bed with their bare soles facing the doorway.
The door to their room unlocked mysteriously. No key had been inserted. The door opened and a tall dark figure in black spell caster robes entered the room. He casually closed the door behind him as if this might have been his own room.
“Good evening,” the spell caster said. He seemed to be a Manling judging from his size.
“Who are you? What do you want with us?” Nate spoke loudly. He was bare chested and barefoot while Vivian only wore a think silken night gown. They had to bend their necks in an uncomfortable way to see the Spell Caster.
“No need to be loud,” the figure said drawing near and placing an iron ring on each of their right big toes. “I have cast a spell of silence on the room. No one will hear us. These rings on your toes will keep you from casting any spells.”
“Who are you? Who do you work for?” Vivian asked trying to contain her anger.
“I am the Shade,” the dark figure said introducing himself. His dark robes and cloak marked him a follower of shadow magic. “I work for my own interests. If someone pays enough, I’ll rent out my services. I don’t know exactly who requests you two, but a job is a job. Nothing personal.”
“How did you find us?” Nate asked. “I know about tracking and I was certain we’d left a track only a tracker like myself could follow.”
“Well, I won’t take credit were credit is not due,” he said. He pulled out from a pocket in one of his robes a golden sphere. It glowed and as he brought it close to Nate and Vivian’s bare feet, the branding rune the Lady of the Morning Dew had traced glowed brightly.
“A clever way to track your enemies,” the Shade observed. “It made finding you quite easily. They could have tracked you themselves, but I guess whoever wants you preferred a professional’s touch. It made my job easier, but the price is still the same.”
“We can match and surpass anything you are being paid,” Vivian said.
“I imagine you can,” the Shade said. “I’ve been paid for finding and capturing you and I’ll get the second half upon your delivery to my liaisons. There is also a bonus amount on the recovery of a certain amount of treasure which I suppose is what you would offer me.”
Vivian bit her lip but nodded softly.
“Yes, well you should tell me where it is. I struck a deal and I mean to keep it,” the Shade said. “No matter if it is one thousand times what I expect to get paid for this job.”
Vivian and Nate looked at each other and frowned.
The Shade removed his hood and then his cloak, placing it on an empty chair in the room. He was indeed a Manling. He seemed young for such a skilled Spell Caster. It was obvious that his spells were complex and many, yet he did not seem to struggle to maintain them. He seemed calm, focused and in control.
“I also go by the name of Orion,” he said stretching his arms and flexing his fingers as one does before engaging in a strenuous activity. “I’ve learned Shadow Magic from the from the Shadow Lords themselves. I’ve been tutored in the Art of Tickling by the very best there is in the Realms. I’ve tickled royalty, nobility, adventurers, and common folk. It’s all the same to me. One and all, they all have ticklish spots to exploit. Under the feather a queen laughs just as sweet as a humble barmaid. I’ve made the mute talk, I’ve turned ignorant into all knowing and I’ve made the most steadfast and loyal of servants betray their masters with a single finger tip.”
Nate and Vivian could not help but be impressed by the introduction. This a was a master even grander than the Tickle Scourge herself.
“Your choices are quite simple,” he stated. “You can tell we where the treasure is voluntarily, or you will tell me involuntarily.
“The choice, of course, is up to you....” he said ominously.
To be continued...
Next: “They All Fall Down”
“The Wheel of Destiny Turns”
It was well known that the Lady of the Morning Dew was as old as the Elfling King himself.
Her memory went back over thousands of years. She could recall the first coming of the Doom that Creeps. She had witnessed the rise and fall of Realms. She had seen the coming and going of many races as well.
It was blood of the Ancient Fae that ran through her veins. Elflings and Fae are known to be distant cousins, and the Lady of the Morning Dew had a bit of Glamour in her and that was more than apparent.
She was beautiful. Not a seductive beauty that stole your soul. A admirable beauty of perfection that inspired you to great things. Her face, her body, her voice, her poise; all were harmoniously in sync with each other. She was admired and courted by all the Realms. The Maker sent her gifts. The Rings and the Wheel of Destiny were designed by him to be used for her leisure. Every ruler sent her gifts intent on gaining her favor.
The Lady of the Morning Dew had another name at one time but it was lost over time. She was named the Lady of the the Morning Dew because she has an affinity with the morning and the drops of water that appeared so mysteriously upon the leaves of the forest. She had mastered the magic of the dew and used it effectively. If she could remember her other name, she did not bother to mention it to any of her subjects. It was not mentioned in any of the oldest history books.
Her older sibling, the Elfling King, did not appreciate the affection showered upon his sister. She was fair and charming and loved by all. While he was hated and despised by all. It was even whispered among many a Realmswalker that the true ruler of the Elfling Realm was her and not the Elfling King.
That was simply too much for the Elfling King to bear.
He could not bring himself to send her to his dungeon. He could not bring himself to poison her or have her killed in some other secretive manner. She was of his own blood and sororicide would not do. He might have tried to have her married off to another Realms Lord, but he hated and despised them all. Her mere existence would be a trophy for one of his rivals and a reminder of how beautiful and young she was in appearance and how old and hateful he was.
The Elfling King was a conniving and scheming sort. He loved the game of politics and he would take advantage of any opportunity to push forward his interests.
He would finally set in motion a series of events that would lead inevitably to his sister’s downfall.
Rumors were set in motion by the Elfling King that reached the always keen ear of Queen Melca of the Fae. Gossip that whispered that the Lady of the Morning Dew considered her more beautiful than anyone in the Realms, including the Queen of the Fae. While Queen Melca was without a doubt the master seductress of the entire Realms, she did not possess the wholesome beauty of the Lady of the Morning Dew.
The Elfling King planted the seeds of the Fae Queen’s jealousy that would eventually go to long lengths to affect his sister.
Queen Melca conjured powerful spells and sent the Lady of the Morning Dew a magical mirror. It was a mirror made of silver and decorated with jewels of every color. It was crafted by the Maker and it was a gift she enjoyed much. But her jealousy ran deeper than her love of the mirror and she sent it away with the knowledge that the Lady of the Morning Dew would not be able to resist such a gift.
The Lady of the Morning Dew was vain like most pretty females and when the mirror arrived delivered by a company of pink Pixies, she did not hesitate to look into the mirror to see her famed countenance.
She saw her beauty, but the mirror darkened and she gazed upon the face of Queen Melca.
Her beauty was great as well but her face was twisted and poisoned with envy. Her three eyes narrowed upon the Elfling and the Lady could feel them like daggers being cast upon her.
“I see your beauty and I dare admit that it is greater than even mine,” she said each word simmering in venom as she uttered them. “This shall be the last time you gaze upon your beauty. And any who do dare witness it will be cursed. One will get only one look at the Lady of the Morning Dew. One terrible look at your beauty will spell doom to any and all who gaze upon your face. This is my gift to you. There is no undoing of the spell. There is no end to your curse. Farewell, darling friend.”
The mirror cracked and The Lady of the Morning Dew felt magic run over her.
Her subjects looked at her and they turned into stone statues. Everyone around her was turned to stone. She could not believe what was happening.
Most of her court was turned to stone before the Elfling King himself came to cover her face with his cloak and comforted her gently while smiling with grim satisfaction.
He brought the greatest spell casters in the Realm to aid break the spell. But the Elfling King had his own agenda and the spell casters only reinforced the work Queen Melca had done. It became too complex a spell to be undone.
It was realized that cold iron would negate the effect of the spell, but it negated also her magic and part of her beauty was also magical. She remained beautiful without her magic, but not quite as beautiful.
Ultimately, she preferred the curse than to sacrifice her beauty. Perhaps that was the intent of Queen Melca from the very beginning.
It hurt her to be beautiful and at the same time not be observed even by herself in a mirror. Rumors spread quickly of the fate that fell upon all who witness her terrible beauty and the Lady’s suitors quickly disappeared while the gifts and visits abruptly ended. She grew more and more detached from the responsibilities and social life of the court and the Realms. An agreement was reached with her brother and she was given an isolated part of the Elfling Realm for her to rule. She would have her own subjects and she would command that territory as sole ruler.
She was content in her hidden part of the Elfling Realm where she was to rule away from the affairs of the Realms. Over time she felt even more content then she had been in the Elfling King’s Court. She had her own Elfling subjects who she selected to be the most loyal and the most disciplined of the female warriors. She would enhance them over the years into a formidable cadre of warriors that could hold its own against any in the Realms.
Trespassers were fair game for the Lady and her warriors. That is what entertained her the most. There was always someone wandering into the woods. She had no lack of guests. The Dust of Forgetfulness kept her small fortress secret when her guests were released making sure no one gathered ideas to return avenge themselves. Her beauty took care of those who did not escape.
It was agreed that she was to pay a tribute every year to maintain her autonomy, and she never failed to pay the amount. There were always enough guests and her tickling Rings were very efficient in extracting magic from her reluctant guests. She could gather more magic than she could effectively spend even with the hefty tribute.
Seeking the Lady of the Morning Dew became less and less popular. Over the years, The Lady became a legend. Those who sought her, either failed and returned forgetful and disorientated, or they returned not at all.
This suited Queen Melca and the Elfling King quite well.
And in a way it also suited the Lady of the Morning Dew.
* * * * *
The golden arrow pointed at the wheel and gently clicked as each peg circling the round wheel passed.
Vivian and Nate watched the wheel turn. It slowed and seemed to stop on Blue which would mean forgetfulness salvation, but it gave one last ominous click and it ended on the white portion of the wheel.
“Very well, Fate has spoken,” the Lady said quite satisfied at the result. “I’d usually reserve this for the entertainment of my minions, but I will make an exception. I will have no more daring escapes or brazen rescues; the Scourge escaping was already more than I care to bear.”
Nate noticed the door open minutely and a figure crept in. He dared not betray the presence by looking at the figure.
“Gaze upon the beauty of the Lady of the Morning Dew,” she said as she prepared to lift her veil. Nate and Vivian tried to look away but realized that they could not. Suddenly a loud crack was heard and the Lady collapsed to the ground unconscious, her veil covering once again her face. Nate and Vivian both looked at the figure at the door and recognized Patrisa who had thrown one of her fighting sticks with expert precision at the back of the Lady’s head.
“They've called off the search,” Patrisa said businesslike. “I have your gear including weapons,” she added tossing them on to a nearby table. “And I've raided the treasure room.”
“You don’t look like you’re carrying much,” Nate observed not seeing any of the mentioned treasure.
“Appearances are deceiving,” Patrisa said releasing Nate from the ring and then doing the same with Vivian. They quickly dressed in their clothes and felt more comfortable now that they were armed.
“The bump on the head is just a bump. It won’t keep her out for long,” Patrisa observed. “She told her guards that she would be a while and that they should not interrupt her. Your darts don’t have a long enough effect, Nathan. We could tie her up...”
A meaningful look was reflected on their faces as smiles crept on to the sides of their faces simultaneously.
“Are you thinking what we are?” Vivian asked Patrisa knowing Nate’s exact thoughts and seeing no need to confirm them.
“The wisest action would be to leave immediately and escape,” Patrisa said her smile broadening. “But I suppose we have a few minutes...”
* * * * *
The Lady of the Morning Dew awoke with a noticeable bump on the back of her head.
She attempted to reach the back of her head with her hand to rub the bump when she realized she was unable to.
She was restrained. She was naked save a white loincloth. Her arms were held out to her sides and her feet were together. Her body was restrained in a ring forming a ‘T’.
Her first reaction was panic.
She could not recall the last time she had been restrained. Voluntarily or otherwise. She was of the dominant sort. There was love of dominating over her enemies, not of submitting to them. It was she who restrained others, she who tickled others and she who controlled others.
But not this time.
She groggily looked around and realized her veil had been removed. Her magic was neutralized by the cold iron in the ring.
She looked ahead and saw a mirror had been placed in front of her line of vision. It was an old dusty mirror that must have been laying around in the dungeon for some time.
She saw her reflection for the first time in hundreds of years.
Her reflection was beautiful despite the quality of the mirror. It was not a terrible beauty like her beauty when endued by magic, but a simple perfect beauty even without the magic. She had Elfling eyes that like with all Elflings were pupil-less. They were dark and they had an unusual bit of a blue tinge in them.
She knew what was happening.
“The iron in the rings affects the magic,” she said evenly. “There is no danger of becoming a statue when looking upon my face.”
The three former prisoners stepped out in front of her.
“I thought the cold iron would negate your magic,” the Scourge said. “But I wanted to be certain.”
“It negates all aspects of my magic,” the Lady answered looking down on her captors.
“I thought you would be like screaming for the guards or something like that,” Nate said.
“The problem with protecting your minions with Runes of Invulnerability is that what they gain in resolve and tenacity, they lack in imagination and criteria,” she explained. “They were told to wait until my return. They will wait until I return or until some other responsibility sends them here. To scream like a helpless idiot is unseemly of a woman of noble bearing and it will not help my cause.”
“You did not use the Rune of Invulnerability on yourself,” Vivian stated. It was not a question.
“No,” the Lady answered.
“You do understand what we plan to do with you?” Patrisa asked.
The Lady’s heart skipped a beat. Of course she knew. She dreaded the thought, but she would not show any weakness to these ruffians.
“I could tell you that I will punish you beyond your wildest dreams, but that is goes without saying. The Wheel of Destiny has already decided. It is never wrong. Do what you will. Your fate is decided.”
“We’ve drawn lots and our friend, the Hound, has won your feet and legs,” Patrisa said. “I must admit that you’ve been quite civilized about this. Any final requests?”
“Yes. Gag me,” she demanded. “Like I said, I do no wish to scream like a bubbling idiot. Once your young friend starts touching me, I cannot respond for the reactions of my body.”
“I want to hear you laugh, Lady,” the Hound said. “I’ll go slow at first. When it becomes too much for you, we’ll gag you. Is that acceptable?”
“Hardly,” the Lady said her mouth twisting in a concerned frown. “But I feel I have little to say in these matters.”
The Hound positioned himself at her feet and she looked down upon them.
Her big toe was larger than the rest while the rest were mostly the same size. It was a small and soft foot which had not tread upon the ground for as long as she could remember.
The Hound pressed a button on the tickling ring and it went back laying the Lady on her back leaving her horizontal.
He looked at her as he touched her soles.
She squirmed as he touched them firmly and rubbed them in his warm hands.
“Never seen feet this soft,” he mentioned as he gently massaged her feet. “You’ve never walked on the ground with these feet?”
“Not that I recall,” the Lady answered biting her lip. She could barely recall the last time she had been tickled. The memory of the act of being tickled lingered on the edge of her mind. She did not want to be tickled. But deep in the back of her mind she wondered exactly how she would react after having gone so long without being tickled.
“Ok, here we go,” the Hound said. He drew a finger up the arch of her sole. The arch was very pronounced and it was insanely ticklish. She felt a tense feeling just above her stomach and then she felt laughter begin to swell inside. As the finger rounded the curve, the Lady involuntarily burst with pleasant laughter.
She laughed as if she were enjoying herself. Light tickling had that effect on her. It brought smiles to the faces of her captors. She would frown and narrow her eyes intent on striking back, but there was way she could keep a straight face with those fingers on her soles.
The Hound touched her toes and she tightened them in a vise-like grip. Beneath her toes she knew she was especially ticklish and she automatically curled them to keep the most vulnerable spots safe.
He was skilled and instead of insisting and forcing back her toes, he went around tickling her arches and her heels making her laugh helplessly.
“Better gag her,” the Hound said after a few minutes of laughter. “I’m bringing out the big guns.”
Patrisa took a handkerchief and placed the center in her mouth and tied it tightly behind her head.
The Hound held her foot tightly and subtly placed her big toe in his mouth and began to suck gently. It was tight as the rest of her toes but a bigger target and he managed to fit a big part of it into his mouth.
The Lady had never experienced that before. The effect was sensual and not so ticklish at all. She moaned gently into the gag feeling herself strangely excited. He continued focusing his attention on that sole big toe. She began to melt away and relax. It was as involuntary as the tickling itself; she simply could not help herself. She enjoyed the attention on her toe. Her toes slowly uncurled and he began to welcome the rest of the toes to his warm mouth and lips. He moaned more deeply and she fully relaxed her toes. The Hound patiently waited until all her toes where relaxed and open and and at her moment of maximum vulnerability his agile fingers fit in between her toes on both feet. She instantly tightened her toes on his fingers clamping them into place. He had only to wiggle them gently to make her scream helplessly into her gag.
She was thankful for the gag for now she really was screaming like a helpless idiot.
The Hound smiled as he realized he could tickle but he could not pull his fingers out of the Lady’s toes. It was then that the Vixen attacked.
She attacked without warning. Her hands tickled her inner thighs savagely raking her sensitive spots near the edge of the loincloth and underneath. The Animus bit at her sides gently which was also an excruciatingly ticklish spot and more so since she had never experienced teeth nibbling at her sides and ribs. The fox headed Animus finally raised the stakes by nuzzling into her deep round bellybutton with her furry face. The fur tickled even more than expected and made the Lady shake and scream even more.
The Hound had gone back to stroking her soles gently allowing her companion to unleash the worst of the torture. Her body was shaking and she was beginning to feel light headed.
The pair slowed down the intensity of their tickling. The Hound caressed softly her calves and the Vixen teased her navel scratching the inner edge with her fingernail.
The Scourge now approached.
She had not been around very many years, but she was already a notorious tickler. Her exploits reached the ear of the Lady of the Morning Dew on a frequent basis. The Lady now feared that the worst was yet to come.
The Scourge gently placed her warm hands on her breasts. They were not large breasts, but for an Elfling they were of a more robust size. She massaged them lightly and the Lady became irritated as how her small nipples became gradually erect. She did not want to be affected this way and she bit her lip angrily.
“It makes you more sensitive,” the Scourge explained the unasked question.
Before the Lady could react to the statement, the Scourge’s fingers teased her nipples lightly making her laugh and then circled the areolae lightly making her shake with sensual and ticklish reactions. The Scourge then increased the pressure of her tickling pressing her fingernails deeper into the sides of the breasts and then culminated with full outright tickling of her underarms.
She screamed helplessly once again into the gag. The tickling went on for what might seem an eternity.
The Hound shifted to the back of her knees and the Vixen tickled her back. Both were ticklish spots and they exploited them thoroughly.
The Scourge also shifted as the Lady must have seemed visibly exhausted to them and on the brink of oblivion which the Lady welcomed. She teased the Lady’s ears and neck. The Lady had forgotten how ticklish those places could be and she laughed deeply into the gag.
They teased her for a while and then she watched the Scourge signal to the rest of her companions silently wording with her lips, “One, two...”
The Lady clamped shut her eyes.
The Hound scratched her soles in a vigorous manner. The Vixen dug her nails deep into her ribs and blew her lips against her belly. The Scourge she expected on her underarms but she did not expect her nibbling on her sensitive ears.
The sensations combined made the Lady scream horribly. He body which never sweat was now glistening with drops of perspiration. Tears streaked down her eyes and her body entered convulsions. It was not long before she welcomed the soft soothing darkness as she passed out into sweet oblivion.
* * * * *
Nate had come to admire the Lady. She was beautiful and ticklish and she had not begged for mercy. She took it with dignity and poise.
He scratched a notch onto his blowpipe and blew away the excess material.
“I’m especially proud of this one,” he said running his thumb over the new notch while he looked down on the Lady’s sleeping form.
The red gem that represented her magic rested above her forehead.
“We could leave her on the machine,” Patrisa suggested gathering her gear. “She’s done it to many thousands more than us and she’ll do it to many thousands more in the future.”
“Machines are impersonal,” Nate said. “They lack the personal touch. The subtle tease.”
“I agree,” Vivian said. “Although she’d do that and more to us if she had the chance.”
“It’s agreed,” Patrisa said taking the gem from the Lady’s forehead.
Nate placed the gown over her nearly naked body and admired her sleeping form.
“Let’s get going,” Vivian said pulling on his sleeve. “She’s pretty, but pretty only goes so far.”
“I know,” Nate said kissing Vivian on the lips.
“I’m a lucky guy,” he added as they left the dungeon cell.
* * * * *
The companions escaped from the Elfling Realm that very day.
The most difficult part was evading the sentries of the Lady of the Morning Dew. As soon as they escaped to the Elfling Realm they took several wormholes to erase their trail and finally ended up in the clouds of the Wundermarket.
The market in the clouds was the one part of the Realms that no ruler laid claim to. It was a place were the only authority were the multi-racial merchants of magic who were rather lax on laws and rules. For the most part, if it didn’t interfere with business, it was probably okay.
It had seemed that their efforts had amounted to very little, but when it came time to divide the spoils inside a room of inn, Vivian and Nate discovered their share was much greater than they had expected.
“It is a bottomless pouch. A prized possession on loan from a friend,” Patrisa explained emptying the contents of a plain burlap pouch on to the floor of the room. “Not quite bottomless but I practically emptied the treasury.”
It was a huge amount of treasure. More than they could have ever imagined was possible to extract from the fortress of the Lady of the Morning Dew. They were up to their knees in magical gems by the time the pouch emptied and Patrisa’s insistent shaking could extract no more gems.
“We made a deal, and I am one to honor it,” Patrisa said. “Half for me, half for you two.”
They spent the better part of a day in dividing the huge amount of treasure. Patrisa placed her part in her bottomless pouch and by the time she finished storing her part, there was considerably less gems in the room, but still enough to ransom a king.
“I will deliver my part to my Mistress Madame Jordanna,” Patrisa said as she finished storing her gems in the bag. “We have an Academy where we train young ticklers and make them powerful warriors or spellcasters. You have quite a bit of skill yourselves. You are welcome to join me if you wish. We just lost a spellcaster not so long ago and we could really use some extra skilled Realmswalkers.”
“It had been a pleasure working with you. You have been more than honorable and fair with us,” Vivian said. “But we’re a team and we will follow our own path.”
“I understand,” Patrisa said. “What you have is special. I had that once. Don’t let it out of your grasp if it is in your power to do something about it.”
“We won’t. Good luck with your Academy,” Nate said. “I’m certain we will hear good things of it soon enough.”
“You will,” Patrisa said clasping hands with both of her companions. “All the best Spell Casters and Warriors will come from the Academy. Some already have.”
The Scourge smiled and turned and left the room closing the door behind her.
Nate watched her from the window as she left the inn and walked confidently into crowded streets of the Wundermarket teeming with merchants, Spell Casters and personalities of all sorts.
“I won’t let you out of my grasp,” Nate said wrapping his arms around Vivian and pulling her near.
“Promise me that if for any reason I should get out of your grasp, you’ll always track me down until the end of the world and beyond,” Vivian said softly running her fingers through his short black hair.
“I promise,” Nate swore solemnly.
* * * * *
Days passed.
Nate and Vivian slowly removed the treasure from the inn to a secret safe house where Vivian was certain it would be safe and out of the way. It was a huge amount of magic. There was no real need for it. But it meant they would not worry about cash problems for a very long time. For a couple of adventurers like themselves was a very good thing.
Busy days were followed by busy nights of intense tickling and lovemaking.
The innkeeper was more concerned of the loud screams and laughter from their room than the frequent coming and goings during the day as they moved the gems to a safer place.
He did not make too much of a fuss though. They after all were paying customers.
Nate had strange dreams at night. Most were about the Lady of the Morning Dew and how she promised she would turn him to stone. He’d awake in the morning stiff and unrested wondering if it was the dream, the mattress or the physical strain of the last few days.
It didn’t seem to come as much of a surprise one night when he had another dream which made him feel stiff and immobile.
It was a vivid dream of a huge snake wrapping itself around his arms and his legs. He began to feel more and more desperate as the snake tightened its grip on his limbs and body. Finally feeling that he could not move and he could not breathe, he awoke abruptly only to discover that he was being held up in the air by some shadowy coils.
Vivian was next to him also bound by the shadow coils. They were suspended above the bed with their bare soles facing the doorway.
The door to their room unlocked mysteriously. No key had been inserted. The door opened and a tall dark figure in black spell caster robes entered the room. He casually closed the door behind him as if this might have been his own room.
“Good evening,” the spell caster said. He seemed to be a Manling judging from his size.
“Who are you? What do you want with us?” Nate spoke loudly. He was bare chested and barefoot while Vivian only wore a think silken night gown. They had to bend their necks in an uncomfortable way to see the Spell Caster.
“No need to be loud,” the figure said drawing near and placing an iron ring on each of their right big toes. “I have cast a spell of silence on the room. No one will hear us. These rings on your toes will keep you from casting any spells.”
“Who are you? Who do you work for?” Vivian asked trying to contain her anger.
“I am the Shade,” the dark figure said introducing himself. His dark robes and cloak marked him a follower of shadow magic. “I work for my own interests. If someone pays enough, I’ll rent out my services. I don’t know exactly who requests you two, but a job is a job. Nothing personal.”
“How did you find us?” Nate asked. “I know about tracking and I was certain we’d left a track only a tracker like myself could follow.”
“Well, I won’t take credit were credit is not due,” he said. He pulled out from a pocket in one of his robes a golden sphere. It glowed and as he brought it close to Nate and Vivian’s bare feet, the branding rune the Lady of the Morning Dew had traced glowed brightly.
“A clever way to track your enemies,” the Shade observed. “It made finding you quite easily. They could have tracked you themselves, but I guess whoever wants you preferred a professional’s touch. It made my job easier, but the price is still the same.”
“We can match and surpass anything you are being paid,” Vivian said.
“I imagine you can,” the Shade said. “I’ve been paid for finding and capturing you and I’ll get the second half upon your delivery to my liaisons. There is also a bonus amount on the recovery of a certain amount of treasure which I suppose is what you would offer me.”
Vivian bit her lip but nodded softly.
“Yes, well you should tell me where it is. I struck a deal and I mean to keep it,” the Shade said. “No matter if it is one thousand times what I expect to get paid for this job.”
Vivian and Nate looked at each other and frowned.
The Shade removed his hood and then his cloak, placing it on an empty chair in the room. He was indeed a Manling. He seemed young for such a skilled Spell Caster. It was obvious that his spells were complex and many, yet he did not seem to struggle to maintain them. He seemed calm, focused and in control.
“I also go by the name of Orion,” he said stretching his arms and flexing his fingers as one does before engaging in a strenuous activity. “I’ve learned Shadow Magic from the from the Shadow Lords themselves. I’ve been tutored in the Art of Tickling by the very best there is in the Realms. I’ve tickled royalty, nobility, adventurers, and common folk. It’s all the same to me. One and all, they all have ticklish spots to exploit. Under the feather a queen laughs just as sweet as a humble barmaid. I’ve made the mute talk, I’ve turned ignorant into all knowing and I’ve made the most steadfast and loyal of servants betray their masters with a single finger tip.”
Nate and Vivian could not help but be impressed by the introduction. This a was a master even grander than the Tickle Scourge herself.
“Your choices are quite simple,” he stated. “You can tell we where the treasure is voluntarily, or you will tell me involuntarily.
“The choice, of course, is up to you....” he said ominously.
To be continued...
Next: “They All Fall Down”
