Into the Wundermarket
“Here,” Patrisa said to Esmeralda as she pulled a pair of heavy robes from a large chest. “Put this on.”
The robe was brown and it had a deep and heavy hood. Esmeralda put the heavy brown robe on and then pulled off the bath robe. It was not a very comfortable fabric. It was a sort of burlap that made her skin itch.
“Where we are going there are any people who wouldn’t take too kindly to seeing the Tickle Scourge make an appearance,” Patrisa said pulling the robe over her leather armor and fighting sticks. “So we’ll disguise ourselves with these.”
“What are we supposed to be?” Esmeralda asked frowning at the rough fabric. “Beggars?”
“Better a beggar than to be identified as an accomplice of the Tickle Scourge, don’t you think?” Patrisa said winking. “I’ve tickled more than my share of people who would want to take a crack at me or anyone accompanying me to try and even the score.”
Esmeralda nodded. It did make sense.
“How are we going to get there?” Esmeralda asked looking for a window or a door. “Not the way we came, I hope.”
“No,” Patrisa replied. “Everyway to and from this safe house is one way.” She drew a circle on the wall with the edge of one of her fighting sticks and the edge of the circle glowed brightly. She then whispered some words:
Crecli fo thilg, royowdar ot fyniniti, nepo a thap ot het darkwetrumen!
“Follow me,” Patrisa said as she stepped through the wall as if it were not there.
Esmeralda watched fascinated and gingerly touched the wall feeling her hand penetrate and feeling cool air on the other side.
Patrisa took Esmeralda’s hand and impatiently pulled her through.
The surprises just didn’t seem to cease for Esmeralda. She felt the cool fresh air on her face and her eyes opened wide as she realized that she was high in the sky riding on a cloud.
”Oh my!” Esmeralda exclaimed.
“Take it easy,” Patrisa said. “It’s a ‘hard cloud’.” She stamped on the white wispy surface of the cloud to demonstrate. “See?”
Esmeralda felt the surface was hard and at the same time wet on her bare feet. “Where is the Wundermarket?” she asked curiously.
“Just over this ridge,” Partisa said climbing a steep crest in the cloud.
Esmeralda followed closely and as soon as she reached the top she saw the fabulous Wundermarket.
It was like nothing she had ever seen before. Tents and stands and carts and thousands upon thousands of magical creatures wheeling and dealing magic of all kinds.
“Who would put a market like this all the way up here?” Esmeralda asked watching merchants and customers move around the market like ants around an anthill.
“It’s never in the same place,” Patrisa responded as they walked closer and closer to the market. “Come on. Let’s get you some new clothes.”
When they finally reached the market, Esmeralda was fascinated to see that there were so many kinds of creatures selling and buying magical objects. She saw elflings and other humans and all had the mark on their foreheads. She also saw angels with white feathered wings and demons with horns and dark wings. There were all sorts of creatures with bodies of humans and heads of animals not to mention the strange and fantastic faeries, satyrs and centaurs who roamed the market.
They walked through the market, pushing their way through the crowd and approaching a wagon with bright colored flags around. It had a door at the back of the wagon and a sign that had text in a strange language and a silhouette of a lizard.
Patrisa knocked on the door. “This wagon belongs to Peter the Peddler,” she explained. He’s an old friend of mine. He buys and sells magic artifacts. He can help us with some magic clothes.”
“Come in,” came the response.
Patrisa opened the door and Esmeralda followed. It was a large room with a counter. It was much larger than it appeared from the outside, Esmeralda thought, but she knew that sooner or later she needed to understand that nothing was what it seemed to be in this world.
A door behind the counter opened and a tall figure entered. He was well dressed with a tuxedo and a round black derby hat. The only thing that was different from a normal human person was his head. Instead of a man’s head it was a lizard’s head.
Esmeralda screamed.
Both Patrisa and the stranger cringed at the high pitched scream.
“A tenderfoot, I presume,” the stranger stated to Patrisa.
“She’s practically only run into a few elflings so far, Petey,” Patrisa explained. “I should have clarified a few things with her before visiting.”
“No harm done,” he stated removing his hat and extending his hand in greeting. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Peter the Peddler.”
“I am Esmeralda,” she said shaking Peter’s hand. “I apologize. It’s just I never expected to see someone with a lizard head. It just took me off guard.”
“It’s actually a dinosaur head,” Peter replied turning his reptilian head. “Look at me from the side. You’ll see the difference. It is the more regal air of the dinosaur over that of the common lizard.”
Esmeralda couldn’t see the difference but she nodded politely.
“Well, how may I be of service?”
“Esmeralda needs some clothes,” Patrisa expained. “I told her that she could get them here.”
“Certainly. Silk can do the job quite well, I think. Silk!” Peter called.
A mechanical spider descended on a spider web strand.
“Can you help Miss Esmeralda?” he asked the spider made of copper and bronze.
The spider looked at Esmeralda with its eight mechanical eyes and nodded.
Kame a mengart, kame ti staf, klecti hist gril dan tecloh reh staf! Peter the Peddler said out loud and the spider glowed brightly.
It jumped to the ground and scurried under Esmeralda’s robe. She instantly felt a tickling sensation on her leg as the spider climbed up and around her legs. She shrieked and twisted and tried to crush the mechanical spider as it ran around her leg.
Peter the Peddler laughed. “Let Silk do his job. He’s making your new attire.”
The spider tickled all over her body and Esmeralda could not help but fall to the ground and roll over and over. The spider would linger at her feet, the go to her ribs and then her legs once again. It went from one to another place, never staying long enough for Esmeralda to do anything about it.
She rolled on the ground laughing steadily and unable to stand. It only lasted couple minutes but Esmeralda was left breathless and feeling embarrassed.
Peter the Peddler smiled. “Silk tickles quite a bit, but it’s a small price to pay for clothes that never need to be cleaned, mended, or ironed.”
Esmeralda stood up and realized that she was fully clothed under the robe. She cast off the ugly burlap robe and discovered she was clothed from head to toe in black. She had soft knee high boots of the softest leather, and fully black attire. She loved it!
“Very elegant,” Peter remarked. “But sadly incomplete. Silk feels you have a future as a spell caster so he has given you the garments a spell caster wears. But the robes of a spell caster must be earned.”
“Spellcaster? Me?” Esmeralda asked.
“Silk is seldom wrong in judging a tenderfoot,” Peter the Peddler replied. “But enough of that for the moment, let’s sit down and talk business.” He gestured to a small round table behind the counter where there was a tea kettle and a table set for four.
They sat down and served tea and Patrisa small talked with Peter the Peddler about things Esmeralda did not understand, but she didn’t mind since she was busy admiring the clothes she was wearing. She loved black and everything felt so soft and so perfect that she was absolutely ecstatic. It made her feel for the first time since she awoke to this world a little more self-confident.
“There is still the matter of the payment of the garments,” Patrisa said taking a long sip of tea and reaching into a pouch to produce the jewel of energy she had taken when she opened Esmeralda’s eye.
Esmeralda also took the tea and also sipped it. It was a soft tea with a mint flavor to it.
“Very nice,” Peter said studying the small ball of magic energy and returning it to Patrisa. “But I fear it is I that will owe you and not you who will owe me.”
“What do you mean by that, Petey?” Patrisa asked.
“Well, for starters, I’ve laced your tea cups with a powerful sleep juice,” he said as he pulled a pocket watch from the jacket of his tuxedo and studied the time intently. “You’ll be both out cold in about 20 seconds.”
“What!” both Partisa and Esmeralda exclaimed.
“Yes, as you heard. I have a third guest who will be here any minute and as you can quite understand it will be I who will owe you and not you who will owe me.”
Patrisa stood up and took Peter by the lapels of his tuxedo.
“You Petey? You sold me out?” she said shaking him angrily.
“I bought something precious, Paty. I didn’t have a choice.” he replied. The sleep juice took effect and Patrisa let go and slipped back into her seat guided by the Peddler.
Esmeralda watched in horror. “I thought you were her friend,” she said.
”I am, and I was serious about owing you, Esmeralda,” he replied holding her by the shoulders. “I’m man who always pays his debts. Remember that when you wake up.”
“I don’t feel tired---” Esmeralda began to say and then she felt instantly woozy and sleepy and fell back into her seat fast asleep.
“I’m sorry girls,” Pete the Peddler whispered as he went to open the door for his third guest.
* * * * *
Esmeralda awoke to see Peter and his guest sipping tea.
“Twenty minutes on the dot,” Peter the Peddler said consulting his pocket watch. “I do love punctuality.”
“Perfect,” a woman with a human body and a lioness’s head declared. The word was stretched out sounding more like ‘purr-fect”. She wore black below like Esmeralda was wearing with a soft white robe with gold runes etched into the fabric.
Esmeralda turned to see Patrisa awake next to her. She was gagged and restrained to her chair with glowing bands of energy that kept her wrists on the arms of her chair and her ankles on the legs of the chair. Esmeralda discovered she was also restrained in a similar manner.
“I hope your accommodations are not too uncomfortable,” the lioness said, her voice purring gently. “I do like my prisoners to be as comfortable as possible. I’ve gagged the Scourge, however. She is quite a dangerous spell caster when she sets her mind to it and an even more dangerous tickler.”
“Who are you?” Esmeralda asked.
“Lucil, of the Cat Clan,” Peter quickly said presenting his third guest. “Spell Caster for Xavis Lord of the Cat Clan.”
“Also Avenger for the Cat Clan,” Lucil added.
“And why are we your prisoners?” Esmeralda asked.
“The Scourge tickled Lord Xavis’ entire harem in a single night. She has dared tickle the Lord’s family and even myself into submission,” Lucil explained. “You, tenderfoot, are to be punished just because you are with her.”
“I must make this clear to you also, Esmeralda. I have been blackmailed by the Cat Clan,” Peter explained. “They have taken my precious tickle mate Brunilda as their captive, and to free her I am required to fill out a contract. That contract is to deliver the Tickle Scourge into their ‘safekeeping’.”
“Take your contract, Peddler,” Lucil said pulling a document from her robe. “Your sniveling bores me and your business here is finished.”
Peter took the document and bowed to Lucil. “Thank you, Lucil. I cannot say it has been a pleasure, but I’m glad our business is at an end. I have no need for this place anymore so do with it what you like.”
Peter tipped his hat to Patrisa and Esmeralda and purposefully dropped a handkerchief on the floor. With that, he walked out the door.
“Alone at last,” Lucil said smiling. “Before I give you up to Lord Xavis -- who will add you both to his harem-- I think I will have a try at tickling this tenderfoot and the infamous Tickle Scourge.”
Lucil pulled her chair in front of Esmeralda and lifted a leg from the ground. Esmeralda could not resist and was held tight by the band of energy.
“I can’t move,” Esmeralda complained.
“A force shackle spell. It holds you where I wish you to be held,” Lucil explained as she pulled Esmeralda’s new black boot off. “But it does not prevent the removal of footwear, or stockings,” she continued as she pulled off the delicate stockings Esmeralda was wearing beneath the boot.
“You could say that you are bewitched and the shackles are not really there,” Lucil said as she drew her fingers over Esmeralda’s bare sole. Esmeralda’s foot moved wildly and she gasped at the tickling sensation.
Lucil smiled and laughed. “A thrasher, I see. I know how to deal with your kind,” she said taking the foot gently in her hands.
Before Esmeralda could protest, Lucil took her foot and opened her feline mouth wide placing her sharp teeth on either side of Esmeralda’s foot. Esmeralda could feel her hot breath on her sole. It did not tickle, but Esmeralda knew what was coming. The second Lucil touched Esmeralda’s bare sole with her long coarse tongue, Esmeralda could not resist the tickling sensations and she succumbed once again to their will to make her laugh and beg for mercy.
”No! Please, stop! Don’t tickle me like that!” Esmeralda shouted as she laughed and shook in her chair. Lucil’s tongue went up the arch and between the toes and the moist and warm tongue sent Esmeralda into ticklish spasms. She felt the sharp teeth on the sides of her foot and she did not dare thrash her foot from side to side.
She began to feel light headed and dizzy as the laughter continued despite her best efforts. When oblivion seemed imminent, Lucil suddenly stopped.
“Delicious,” Lucil said licking her lips and ending her tickling assault. “Lord Xavis will enjoy your ticklish feet, my dear. And the rest of your ticklish body as well.”
Esmeralda panted and drew breaths while still giggling.
Lucil gave a last tickle with her sharp nails and Esmeralda gasped again and laughed a bit more. She then turned her attention to Patrisa.
“The Tickle Scourge,” she said with a twisted frown. “I’ve waited to tickle you for years.” She lifted both of Patrisa’s legs and quickly undid the sandals she wore leaving her pretty feet bare. “I’ve wondered why a tickler of your caliber wears sandals.” She scratched her sharp nails over Patrisa’s soles and discovered there was no reaction. She drew her moist and hot tongue over the soles and there was still no reaction.
“A tickler who wears sandals does not fear tickling on her feet because she is not ticklish there,” Lucil said exposing her theory. She stood behind Patrisa and raised her arms above her head. Patrisa struggled, but she was unable to resist.
With underarms exposed, Lucil attacked raking her fingers up and down the underarms. There were still no reactions. Esmeralda could see Lucil frown, but then her face lit up.
“A tickler would protect her ticklish spot, wouldn’t she?” Lucil asked. Not waiting for an answer she undid Patrisa’s leather armor and left her in her underclothes. She stood behind Patrisa and waited patiently creating suspense.
“Laugh for me,” Lucil whispered to Patrisa’s ear as she dug her fingers into her ribs.
Patrisa screamed through her gag and she shouted muffled pleas for mercy. She shook so violently Esmeralda feared she would hurt herself while struggling. She shook her head back and forth as if she could somehow deny how terribly ticklish she was. However it was all to no avail.
“I think you are too dangerous to take back to Lord Xavis as you are,” Lucil said enjoying the ticklish reactions she was getting from her prisoner. She reached under Patrisa’s undergarment and kneaded her soft flesh with her long nails. If possible Patrisa struggled even more to escape. “I think I will take you back weak as a kitten, fully drained of your magic and will to escape.”
Patrisa’s eyes looked at Esmeralda pleadingly as the intense laughter and struggling were becoming too much for her to bear.
Esmeralda watched desperately and struggled at her bonds. There was no way to escape. And there was nothing she could say that would free Patrisa from her torment.
She looked desperately for something or someone to help when her eyes fell upon the handkerchief Peter the Peddler had left upon his exit. She remembered his words: “I’m a man who always pays his debts.”
She watched under the handkerchief and spied a small shining object below. It was Silk.
The mechanical spider watched the tickling onslaught intently with its eight lens like eyes, but it did not move to interfere.
“Tickle her,” Esmeralda whispered hoping the spider would leap on Lucil. Silk seemed to understand, but something was holding the spider back. What was it? Then it came to her. Of course, the words!
She closed her eyes and tried to recall the words Peter had used. They came back to her as if she were reciting a simple nursery rhyme.
Kame a mengart, kame ti staf, klecti hist gril dan tecloh reh staf!
Silk scurried across the floor and ran up Lucil’s robe. She shrieked and fell immediately to the ground in a fit of fun childish laughter.
Patrisa was free and so was Esmeralda. The spell had been interrupted.
Patrisa removed the gag. “You must stop her yourself. Silk will only entertain her a few moments. I am too weak to stop her.”
“Stop her?” Esmeralda asked. “How?”
Patrisa stared back annoyed at the question regarding the obvious. “Tickle her!”
Esmeralda had never tickle tortured anyone. She’d poke her friends to get a quick laugh and make a friend jump in her seat. But when it came to tickle fights she was usually the more ticklish one and despite her best efforts she usually ended up curled up on the floor as the loser.
Realizing that in this world it was better to tickle rather than to be tickled she decided it was high time she learned the ropes to being an effective tickler.
Lucil had grasped Silk and held him firmly within her robe. That was until Esmeralda placed her hands on Lucil’s sides and tickled her. The reaction was explosive. She jumped back almost knocking Esmeralda over. She hung on however and dug in as she continued to tickle. Lucil’s laughter was infectious and Esmeralda found herself laughing with her victim and enjoying herself.
The lioness however was not enjoying herself and she tried to get away as best she could. She tried her best to tickle Esmeralda back. Esmerada realized that she was dealing with a tickler and she needed to take charge or the tables could quickly turn.
Lucil’s fingers weakly searched for a ticklish spot on Esmeralda’s ribs, and she was making part of Esmeralda’s laughter come from her tickling. Lucil finally pushed Esmeralda away in an effort to escape and Esmeralda reacted quickly tackling the lioness to the ground and mounting her from behind. She dug her nails into Lucil’s underarms and tickled relentlessly. The lioness’s arms locked firmly against her sides keeping Esmeralda’s tickling fingers in place.
The advantage of the position was evident. Esmeralda had access to Lucil’s ticklish spots and Lucil was immobilized by Esmeralda’s weight and unable to reach any ticklish spots on her tormentor.
Lucil could only laugh. She shook violently from side to side and her laughter continued to sound as if she were perhaps listening to something very funny. She did not scream or beg, although it seemed to Esmeralda that if given a chance, Lucil would beg on hands and knees for mercy.
After a few minutes of torture, Lucil’s thrashing calmed down and her laughter became weaker until she passed out and a red glowing jewel appeared at her forehead.
“Well done!” Patrisa complimented. She had dressed once again in her armor and sandals and knelt down to pick up the red jewel.
“I think there is hope for you as a tickler and a spellcaster, tenderfoot,” Patrisa continued as she handed the jewel and the mechanical spider over to Esmeralda. “Take them both. You’ve earned them.”
Esmeralda held the spider in one palm and the jewel in the other.
“Peter was right about you. You have quite some potential,” Patrisa said with a smile.
“What’s next?” Esmeralda asked setting Silk and the jewel on the tea table as she pulled her boot on.
“I don’t know about you,” Patrisa replied. “But the Tickle Scourge didn’t get that name being a nice person.”
“Lord Xavis and his harem?” Esmeralda asked as she stood up.
Patrisa nodded. “Payback is always sweet.”
To be continued…
“Here,” Patrisa said to Esmeralda as she pulled a pair of heavy robes from a large chest. “Put this on.”
The robe was brown and it had a deep and heavy hood. Esmeralda put the heavy brown robe on and then pulled off the bath robe. It was not a very comfortable fabric. It was a sort of burlap that made her skin itch.
“Where we are going there are any people who wouldn’t take too kindly to seeing the Tickle Scourge make an appearance,” Patrisa said pulling the robe over her leather armor and fighting sticks. “So we’ll disguise ourselves with these.”
“What are we supposed to be?” Esmeralda asked frowning at the rough fabric. “Beggars?”
“Better a beggar than to be identified as an accomplice of the Tickle Scourge, don’t you think?” Patrisa said winking. “I’ve tickled more than my share of people who would want to take a crack at me or anyone accompanying me to try and even the score.”
Esmeralda nodded. It did make sense.
“How are we going to get there?” Esmeralda asked looking for a window or a door. “Not the way we came, I hope.”
“No,” Patrisa replied. “Everyway to and from this safe house is one way.” She drew a circle on the wall with the edge of one of her fighting sticks and the edge of the circle glowed brightly. She then whispered some words:
Crecli fo thilg, royowdar ot fyniniti, nepo a thap ot het darkwetrumen!
“Follow me,” Patrisa said as she stepped through the wall as if it were not there.
Esmeralda watched fascinated and gingerly touched the wall feeling her hand penetrate and feeling cool air on the other side.
Patrisa took Esmeralda’s hand and impatiently pulled her through.
The surprises just didn’t seem to cease for Esmeralda. She felt the cool fresh air on her face and her eyes opened wide as she realized that she was high in the sky riding on a cloud.
”Oh my!” Esmeralda exclaimed.
“Take it easy,” Patrisa said. “It’s a ‘hard cloud’.” She stamped on the white wispy surface of the cloud to demonstrate. “See?”
Esmeralda felt the surface was hard and at the same time wet on her bare feet. “Where is the Wundermarket?” she asked curiously.
“Just over this ridge,” Partisa said climbing a steep crest in the cloud.
Esmeralda followed closely and as soon as she reached the top she saw the fabulous Wundermarket.
It was like nothing she had ever seen before. Tents and stands and carts and thousands upon thousands of magical creatures wheeling and dealing magic of all kinds.
“Who would put a market like this all the way up here?” Esmeralda asked watching merchants and customers move around the market like ants around an anthill.
“It’s never in the same place,” Patrisa responded as they walked closer and closer to the market. “Come on. Let’s get you some new clothes.”
When they finally reached the market, Esmeralda was fascinated to see that there were so many kinds of creatures selling and buying magical objects. She saw elflings and other humans and all had the mark on their foreheads. She also saw angels with white feathered wings and demons with horns and dark wings. There were all sorts of creatures with bodies of humans and heads of animals not to mention the strange and fantastic faeries, satyrs and centaurs who roamed the market.
They walked through the market, pushing their way through the crowd and approaching a wagon with bright colored flags around. It had a door at the back of the wagon and a sign that had text in a strange language and a silhouette of a lizard.
Patrisa knocked on the door. “This wagon belongs to Peter the Peddler,” she explained. He’s an old friend of mine. He buys and sells magic artifacts. He can help us with some magic clothes.”
“Come in,” came the response.
Patrisa opened the door and Esmeralda followed. It was a large room with a counter. It was much larger than it appeared from the outside, Esmeralda thought, but she knew that sooner or later she needed to understand that nothing was what it seemed to be in this world.
A door behind the counter opened and a tall figure entered. He was well dressed with a tuxedo and a round black derby hat. The only thing that was different from a normal human person was his head. Instead of a man’s head it was a lizard’s head.
Esmeralda screamed.
Both Patrisa and the stranger cringed at the high pitched scream.
“A tenderfoot, I presume,” the stranger stated to Patrisa.
“She’s practically only run into a few elflings so far, Petey,” Patrisa explained. “I should have clarified a few things with her before visiting.”
“No harm done,” he stated removing his hat and extending his hand in greeting. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Peter the Peddler.”
“I am Esmeralda,” she said shaking Peter’s hand. “I apologize. It’s just I never expected to see someone with a lizard head. It just took me off guard.”
“It’s actually a dinosaur head,” Peter replied turning his reptilian head. “Look at me from the side. You’ll see the difference. It is the more regal air of the dinosaur over that of the common lizard.”
Esmeralda couldn’t see the difference but she nodded politely.
“Well, how may I be of service?”
“Esmeralda needs some clothes,” Patrisa expained. “I told her that she could get them here.”
“Certainly. Silk can do the job quite well, I think. Silk!” Peter called.
A mechanical spider descended on a spider web strand.
“Can you help Miss Esmeralda?” he asked the spider made of copper and bronze.
The spider looked at Esmeralda with its eight mechanical eyes and nodded.
Kame a mengart, kame ti staf, klecti hist gril dan tecloh reh staf! Peter the Peddler said out loud and the spider glowed brightly.
It jumped to the ground and scurried under Esmeralda’s robe. She instantly felt a tickling sensation on her leg as the spider climbed up and around her legs. She shrieked and twisted and tried to crush the mechanical spider as it ran around her leg.
Peter the Peddler laughed. “Let Silk do his job. He’s making your new attire.”
The spider tickled all over her body and Esmeralda could not help but fall to the ground and roll over and over. The spider would linger at her feet, the go to her ribs and then her legs once again. It went from one to another place, never staying long enough for Esmeralda to do anything about it.
She rolled on the ground laughing steadily and unable to stand. It only lasted couple minutes but Esmeralda was left breathless and feeling embarrassed.
Peter the Peddler smiled. “Silk tickles quite a bit, but it’s a small price to pay for clothes that never need to be cleaned, mended, or ironed.”
Esmeralda stood up and realized that she was fully clothed under the robe. She cast off the ugly burlap robe and discovered she was clothed from head to toe in black. She had soft knee high boots of the softest leather, and fully black attire. She loved it!
“Very elegant,” Peter remarked. “But sadly incomplete. Silk feels you have a future as a spell caster so he has given you the garments a spell caster wears. But the robes of a spell caster must be earned.”
“Spellcaster? Me?” Esmeralda asked.
“Silk is seldom wrong in judging a tenderfoot,” Peter the Peddler replied. “But enough of that for the moment, let’s sit down and talk business.” He gestured to a small round table behind the counter where there was a tea kettle and a table set for four.
They sat down and served tea and Patrisa small talked with Peter the Peddler about things Esmeralda did not understand, but she didn’t mind since she was busy admiring the clothes she was wearing. She loved black and everything felt so soft and so perfect that she was absolutely ecstatic. It made her feel for the first time since she awoke to this world a little more self-confident.
“There is still the matter of the payment of the garments,” Patrisa said taking a long sip of tea and reaching into a pouch to produce the jewel of energy she had taken when she opened Esmeralda’s eye.
Esmeralda also took the tea and also sipped it. It was a soft tea with a mint flavor to it.
“Very nice,” Peter said studying the small ball of magic energy and returning it to Patrisa. “But I fear it is I that will owe you and not you who will owe me.”
“What do you mean by that, Petey?” Patrisa asked.
“Well, for starters, I’ve laced your tea cups with a powerful sleep juice,” he said as he pulled a pocket watch from the jacket of his tuxedo and studied the time intently. “You’ll be both out cold in about 20 seconds.”
“What!” both Partisa and Esmeralda exclaimed.
“Yes, as you heard. I have a third guest who will be here any minute and as you can quite understand it will be I who will owe you and not you who will owe me.”
Patrisa stood up and took Peter by the lapels of his tuxedo.
“You Petey? You sold me out?” she said shaking him angrily.
“I bought something precious, Paty. I didn’t have a choice.” he replied. The sleep juice took effect and Patrisa let go and slipped back into her seat guided by the Peddler.
Esmeralda watched in horror. “I thought you were her friend,” she said.
”I am, and I was serious about owing you, Esmeralda,” he replied holding her by the shoulders. “I’m man who always pays his debts. Remember that when you wake up.”
“I don’t feel tired---” Esmeralda began to say and then she felt instantly woozy and sleepy and fell back into her seat fast asleep.
“I’m sorry girls,” Pete the Peddler whispered as he went to open the door for his third guest.
* * * * *
Esmeralda awoke to see Peter and his guest sipping tea.
“Twenty minutes on the dot,” Peter the Peddler said consulting his pocket watch. “I do love punctuality.”
“Perfect,” a woman with a human body and a lioness’s head declared. The word was stretched out sounding more like ‘purr-fect”. She wore black below like Esmeralda was wearing with a soft white robe with gold runes etched into the fabric.
Esmeralda turned to see Patrisa awake next to her. She was gagged and restrained to her chair with glowing bands of energy that kept her wrists on the arms of her chair and her ankles on the legs of the chair. Esmeralda discovered she was also restrained in a similar manner.
“I hope your accommodations are not too uncomfortable,” the lioness said, her voice purring gently. “I do like my prisoners to be as comfortable as possible. I’ve gagged the Scourge, however. She is quite a dangerous spell caster when she sets her mind to it and an even more dangerous tickler.”
“Who are you?” Esmeralda asked.
“Lucil, of the Cat Clan,” Peter quickly said presenting his third guest. “Spell Caster for Xavis Lord of the Cat Clan.”
“Also Avenger for the Cat Clan,” Lucil added.
“And why are we your prisoners?” Esmeralda asked.
“The Scourge tickled Lord Xavis’ entire harem in a single night. She has dared tickle the Lord’s family and even myself into submission,” Lucil explained. “You, tenderfoot, are to be punished just because you are with her.”
“I must make this clear to you also, Esmeralda. I have been blackmailed by the Cat Clan,” Peter explained. “They have taken my precious tickle mate Brunilda as their captive, and to free her I am required to fill out a contract. That contract is to deliver the Tickle Scourge into their ‘safekeeping’.”
“Take your contract, Peddler,” Lucil said pulling a document from her robe. “Your sniveling bores me and your business here is finished.”
Peter took the document and bowed to Lucil. “Thank you, Lucil. I cannot say it has been a pleasure, but I’m glad our business is at an end. I have no need for this place anymore so do with it what you like.”
Peter tipped his hat to Patrisa and Esmeralda and purposefully dropped a handkerchief on the floor. With that, he walked out the door.
“Alone at last,” Lucil said smiling. “Before I give you up to Lord Xavis -- who will add you both to his harem-- I think I will have a try at tickling this tenderfoot and the infamous Tickle Scourge.”
Lucil pulled her chair in front of Esmeralda and lifted a leg from the ground. Esmeralda could not resist and was held tight by the band of energy.
“I can’t move,” Esmeralda complained.
“A force shackle spell. It holds you where I wish you to be held,” Lucil explained as she pulled Esmeralda’s new black boot off. “But it does not prevent the removal of footwear, or stockings,” she continued as she pulled off the delicate stockings Esmeralda was wearing beneath the boot.
“You could say that you are bewitched and the shackles are not really there,” Lucil said as she drew her fingers over Esmeralda’s bare sole. Esmeralda’s foot moved wildly and she gasped at the tickling sensation.
Lucil smiled and laughed. “A thrasher, I see. I know how to deal with your kind,” she said taking the foot gently in her hands.
Before Esmeralda could protest, Lucil took her foot and opened her feline mouth wide placing her sharp teeth on either side of Esmeralda’s foot. Esmeralda could feel her hot breath on her sole. It did not tickle, but Esmeralda knew what was coming. The second Lucil touched Esmeralda’s bare sole with her long coarse tongue, Esmeralda could not resist the tickling sensations and she succumbed once again to their will to make her laugh and beg for mercy.
”No! Please, stop! Don’t tickle me like that!” Esmeralda shouted as she laughed and shook in her chair. Lucil’s tongue went up the arch and between the toes and the moist and warm tongue sent Esmeralda into ticklish spasms. She felt the sharp teeth on the sides of her foot and she did not dare thrash her foot from side to side.
She began to feel light headed and dizzy as the laughter continued despite her best efforts. When oblivion seemed imminent, Lucil suddenly stopped.
“Delicious,” Lucil said licking her lips and ending her tickling assault. “Lord Xavis will enjoy your ticklish feet, my dear. And the rest of your ticklish body as well.”
Esmeralda panted and drew breaths while still giggling.
Lucil gave a last tickle with her sharp nails and Esmeralda gasped again and laughed a bit more. She then turned her attention to Patrisa.
“The Tickle Scourge,” she said with a twisted frown. “I’ve waited to tickle you for years.” She lifted both of Patrisa’s legs and quickly undid the sandals she wore leaving her pretty feet bare. “I’ve wondered why a tickler of your caliber wears sandals.” She scratched her sharp nails over Patrisa’s soles and discovered there was no reaction. She drew her moist and hot tongue over the soles and there was still no reaction.
“A tickler who wears sandals does not fear tickling on her feet because she is not ticklish there,” Lucil said exposing her theory. She stood behind Patrisa and raised her arms above her head. Patrisa struggled, but she was unable to resist.
With underarms exposed, Lucil attacked raking her fingers up and down the underarms. There were still no reactions. Esmeralda could see Lucil frown, but then her face lit up.
“A tickler would protect her ticklish spot, wouldn’t she?” Lucil asked. Not waiting for an answer she undid Patrisa’s leather armor and left her in her underclothes. She stood behind Patrisa and waited patiently creating suspense.
“Laugh for me,” Lucil whispered to Patrisa’s ear as she dug her fingers into her ribs.
Patrisa screamed through her gag and she shouted muffled pleas for mercy. She shook so violently Esmeralda feared she would hurt herself while struggling. She shook her head back and forth as if she could somehow deny how terribly ticklish she was. However it was all to no avail.
“I think you are too dangerous to take back to Lord Xavis as you are,” Lucil said enjoying the ticklish reactions she was getting from her prisoner. She reached under Patrisa’s undergarment and kneaded her soft flesh with her long nails. If possible Patrisa struggled even more to escape. “I think I will take you back weak as a kitten, fully drained of your magic and will to escape.”
Patrisa’s eyes looked at Esmeralda pleadingly as the intense laughter and struggling were becoming too much for her to bear.
Esmeralda watched desperately and struggled at her bonds. There was no way to escape. And there was nothing she could say that would free Patrisa from her torment.
She looked desperately for something or someone to help when her eyes fell upon the handkerchief Peter the Peddler had left upon his exit. She remembered his words: “I’m a man who always pays his debts.”
She watched under the handkerchief and spied a small shining object below. It was Silk.
The mechanical spider watched the tickling onslaught intently with its eight lens like eyes, but it did not move to interfere.
“Tickle her,” Esmeralda whispered hoping the spider would leap on Lucil. Silk seemed to understand, but something was holding the spider back. What was it? Then it came to her. Of course, the words!
She closed her eyes and tried to recall the words Peter had used. They came back to her as if she were reciting a simple nursery rhyme.
Kame a mengart, kame ti staf, klecti hist gril dan tecloh reh staf!
Silk scurried across the floor and ran up Lucil’s robe. She shrieked and fell immediately to the ground in a fit of fun childish laughter.
Patrisa was free and so was Esmeralda. The spell had been interrupted.
Patrisa removed the gag. “You must stop her yourself. Silk will only entertain her a few moments. I am too weak to stop her.”
“Stop her?” Esmeralda asked. “How?”
Patrisa stared back annoyed at the question regarding the obvious. “Tickle her!”
Esmeralda had never tickle tortured anyone. She’d poke her friends to get a quick laugh and make a friend jump in her seat. But when it came to tickle fights she was usually the more ticklish one and despite her best efforts she usually ended up curled up on the floor as the loser.
Realizing that in this world it was better to tickle rather than to be tickled she decided it was high time she learned the ropes to being an effective tickler.
Lucil had grasped Silk and held him firmly within her robe. That was until Esmeralda placed her hands on Lucil’s sides and tickled her. The reaction was explosive. She jumped back almost knocking Esmeralda over. She hung on however and dug in as she continued to tickle. Lucil’s laughter was infectious and Esmeralda found herself laughing with her victim and enjoying herself.
The lioness however was not enjoying herself and she tried to get away as best she could. She tried her best to tickle Esmeralda back. Esmerada realized that she was dealing with a tickler and she needed to take charge or the tables could quickly turn.
Lucil’s fingers weakly searched for a ticklish spot on Esmeralda’s ribs, and she was making part of Esmeralda’s laughter come from her tickling. Lucil finally pushed Esmeralda away in an effort to escape and Esmeralda reacted quickly tackling the lioness to the ground and mounting her from behind. She dug her nails into Lucil’s underarms and tickled relentlessly. The lioness’s arms locked firmly against her sides keeping Esmeralda’s tickling fingers in place.
The advantage of the position was evident. Esmeralda had access to Lucil’s ticklish spots and Lucil was immobilized by Esmeralda’s weight and unable to reach any ticklish spots on her tormentor.
Lucil could only laugh. She shook violently from side to side and her laughter continued to sound as if she were perhaps listening to something very funny. She did not scream or beg, although it seemed to Esmeralda that if given a chance, Lucil would beg on hands and knees for mercy.
After a few minutes of torture, Lucil’s thrashing calmed down and her laughter became weaker until she passed out and a red glowing jewel appeared at her forehead.
“Well done!” Patrisa complimented. She had dressed once again in her armor and sandals and knelt down to pick up the red jewel.
“I think there is hope for you as a tickler and a spellcaster, tenderfoot,” Patrisa continued as she handed the jewel and the mechanical spider over to Esmeralda. “Take them both. You’ve earned them.”
Esmeralda held the spider in one palm and the jewel in the other.
“Peter was right about you. You have quite some potential,” Patrisa said with a smile.
“What’s next?” Esmeralda asked setting Silk and the jewel on the tea table as she pulled her boot on.
“I don’t know about you,” Patrisa replied. “But the Tickle Scourge didn’t get that name being a nice person.”
“Lord Xavis and his harem?” Esmeralda asked as she stood up.
Patrisa nodded. “Payback is always sweet.”
To be continued…
