Stolen Away (Closed for KaosDancer)

[KaosDancer]

I settled back into my seat, being careful not to bump anything that hurt. “Well,” I said softly, “I’ve got the air and water, the trees and the sprites.” I paused for a moment and thought, “That’s about it – as far as I know.” I looked down at Glorymorn and said, “Unless there’s someone else I don’t’ know about.”

“There’s also the Ellyllons Mistress.” She told me with a smile.

“Ellyllons?” I asked.

“Yes.” She laughed, “The little lake fairies.”

“I haven’t seen them yet.” I told D with a shrug.

“You could call them Mistress.” Glorymorn said brightly.

“Call?” I asked, “and if they live at the lake, how are they gonna get here?”

“Up through the spring, of course Mistress. They’re all interconnected."

“Interconnected?” I asked.

“I could show you Mistress.” Came a soft bubbling voice from the pool. “If you’d just come for a swim.”

I looked over at the pool and at the strange shifting face of the Nereid, “Not right now.” I told it, looking down at my bruised and bandaged body.

“Do you wish them Mistress.” the Nereid asked.

"Yes, please." I said with a smile. I looked back at D and said, “So,” I guess I have another set then. – how about you?”

 

[Rufus the Mad]

"Well" I said slowly "There were some other critters out there when we were collecting firewood yesterday..."

"The Brownies Master!" came a muffled response from within the confines of my tent.

Pursing my lips, I cast my eyes toward the blue sky, then rolled them toward Tess as I fought to keep the smile I felt from creeping across me face as it wanted to. "Come out here you two." I said quietly.

Like flashes of light they came, kneeling just beyond my plate with their heads bowed, knowing they weren't out of trouble, merely in the presence of the one that could punish them...

"Do you know why I sent you to the tent?" I asked, spearing a bit of potato with my fork "Why you are being punished?"

"Yes, Master."
"Yes, Master."

"Why are you being punished then?" I asked softly, chewing the bit of fried tuber...

"For daring to enter the Mistress' tent, Master..." said Spiderwort.

"For not doing as you told us immediately, Master..." said Mapleflame.

"No." I said bluntly, leaning forward slightly and laying the fork down. "Although those are definitely punishable offenses... No, you are being punished for acting without my permission. You abandoned the place I saw you last... this very table, in fact, and I had no idea where you had gone. You could have been hurt, stolen.... even simply wandered away, and I would have had no idea. No, you are being punished for leaving without asking to do so, for acting without my express permission. You are being punished for a betrayal of trust... and that is something that I simply will not allow. You two belong to me, and will act only if told to do so, and by my will alone. Now, am I very clear about this?"

They had both looked up at my "No", forgetting that little bit of protocol in their surprise, and were looking at me with large, tearful eyes by the time I finished. They had thought that I wanted them, of course, that I had found them attractive... but this... this punishment showed that I cared for them... truly cared! They both gave an enthusiastic cry of "Yes Master!" and wept openly, flashing to me like beams of light as soon as I tapped my shoulders, giving them permission to resume their usual positions, and clung to my neck with an almost desperate devotion, sobbing and petting as their emotions took control of them... I hummed a bit, letting them feel the vibrations I knew they liked, and they gasped in response, immediately settling into the best positions to let the reverberations find their tiny clits and buzz along their nipples as I spoke...

"So, I guess I also have the Brownies, but they're a busy lot, working in the forest pretty much all day, so I'll leave them be for now." I finished off the last of the omelet, and scraped the last of the bacon and potatoes onto my spoon to make sure I got them. savoring the taste as I chewed.

"So how's your feet feelin? Any better at all?" I asked Theresa pleasantly, leaning slightly toward her to glimpse the bandages... and allowing her a good look at the heated and shaking Mapleflame, where the Sprite held herself arched back along the collar of my vest, her hips pressed hard to my throat and her legs spread wide, writhing against my neck and all but hidden beneath my hair as she twitched and groaned in response to the vibrations of my voice...

 

[KaosDancer]

I looked at him, glanced down at my feet, looked back at him, looked down at the food in front of me and said, “Thank you for making breakfast." I took a bite and added, "It's very good."

I could feel Glorymorn temperature rising as she watched the antics of her two sisters, so I frowned at D and said, “Remember what I told them about your pixies?" I asked softly, "Well, it’s also not nice to tease my girls. I asked them to… calm themselves, and you’re not helping!”

I looked up at the hoard in the tree that seemed to have their eyes locked on D’s two feral little beasts, and said, “If you guys want to go… entertain yourselves until the boys get off shift, that’s fine with me.” When I noticed their expressions and the way they turned to each other, I added, “The operative word in that sentence was ‘Go’.”

I looked over at my little follower and said, "You can go with them if you want."

"No Mistress!" she exclaimed tears welling up in her eyes, "Glorymorn is never leaving your side again!"

"Ok, ok." I sighed, reaching over and picking her up off my shoulder and sitting her on the table in front of me. "I didn't say you had to go, just that you could if you wanted." I leaned down a bit, so I could look her straight in the eyes and said, "I'd rather have you here with me anyway, it makes me feel safer."

The little sprite stood up and flung herself at me, wrapping her little arms around my neck and snuggling close. "Glorymorn loves you Mistress." she whispered, "Glorymorn does not know what she would have done if..."

"Shush," I said softly, "I don't want to talk about it. There was nothing you could do, so we drop it, right now. Understand?"

"Of course Mistress." she whispered, holding onto me even tighter, as if afraid to let me go.

 

[Rufus the Mad]

I put my hands up... one on each of them, and calmed them instantly. "Out" I said simply, and waited then while the two of them... detached themselves... and climbed out of my clothing, away from my now slick skin. I raised my brows and tilted my head as I shrugged, in a classic 'sorry' gesture, and instructed the girls to go fetch us the bowls we would need for the Berries and Cream.

I also caught the look that Glory shot to me as she clung desperately to her Mistress' neck... Nothing she could do... Like hell, and I knew it. I opened my mouth to say so, and watched the look on the Sprites face change from sadness to absolute alarm, her eyes going wide, and her mouth flying open... I inhaled to speak... and fell to a fit of coughing... Over that quickly, I turned back to finish what I was gonna say... and my tongue cramped up something fierce... I looked hard to Glory, accusation plastered across my face... and met... pity. She had known what would happen, she had known, and hadn't been alarmed at what I was gonna say... but what would happen to me... Then I felt a cold trickle cross the back of my skull, and thought of the strange phrase I had used to snare Spiderwort... Bound by your own word Bug... They had been my words, my voice... and yet...

I blinked, and looked with a new understanding to the saddened face of the tiny Sprite. I had promised... last night, I had promised Glorymorn that I wouldn't tell her Mistress... and so I... couldn't.

Damn... Now I knew. I nodded mutely, drawing in a steadying breath as I glanced again at her mistress... and changed the subject...

"So you never told me about your feet, Sweety." I said, rising and fetching the berries from my cooler. "Heck, if you can heal Glory here, why can't ya heal yerself? Seems like it should be the same thing, but easier... right?"

 

[KaosDancer]

“Don’t be silly, I can’t just… I mean it’s not possible to…” I stopped and thought about it for a moment, trying to dredge up from these so-called memories whether something like that was even possible. But it was no use. While I was in pain, rather horrible pain, even that pain wasn’t enough to break through the determined barrier that sealed off that other life. Finally, I gave up, I threw up my hands in frustration and said, “I don’t know how!”

 

[Rufus the Mad]

I placed the chilled bowl of berries on the table, and took the two smaller bowls from the girls as they brought them over, placing them down beside the larger container. "Well," I said, shrugging at her "What did you do last time?"

 

[KaosDancer]

“Well,” I said, gently pulling little Glorymorn off my neck. Using her to demonstrate, I said, “I picked her up, placed her on my shoulder, rocked her, and sang away her pain. After removing my bandages, of course.”

 

[Rufus the Mad]

“Well there ya go then!” I exclaimed, kind of wondering what the bandages had to do with it, even as I returned with the whipped cream and plunked the copper bowl down beside the berries, “Maybe you have to sing again, but focus on you.” I reached over and snagged my Lute, dropping into my chair easily as I said “Is it the same tune? If it is, I might be able ta play along… that is, if ya don’t mind…”

 

[KaosDancer]

"Ok," I said hesitantly, rather afraid of what might happen. I looked at the little Sprite in my hands and then over at the bandages which bound them. “If you would, my dear.” I said, turning my palms up.

“Yes Mistress.” She said softly, motioning to the rest of the Sprite which were watching from the branches above.

When I saw what she had done, I just closed my eyes and held still. Suddenly, rather painfully, I was covered with creatures trying to quickly remove all my bandages with the minimal amount of harm. I opened my eyes, but did not look at the ragged flesh of my hands and feet. Instead I simply turned my palms inward and crossed my wrists in front of me. I looked down to where the Sprites sat arrayed around me, covering my chair and half the table. As if they were trying to get as close as possible, without touching me. All but Glory that is. Instead of sitting passively at me feet, she fluttered in front of me, her little hands on my wrists. When she saw that I had seen her, she said, “Sing now my Mistress, sing for yourself.”

I closed my eyes again, letting the strange tune run through my head, and then I took a breath and began to sing. It was hard at first, the first time I’d had Glory’s pain to focus on, but this time I was alone… then I heard the sound of D’s lute and the magic flowed more freely. I sang of the pain and terror of the night, of the horror that I could not escape, of the dread that, in the end, I’d have learned to enjoy it. Taking it all and bundling into a mass in the center of my being. I then sang of the pain of the injuries, the feel of my flesh tearing, the thorns on my body, the fall and took this and added it to the already enormous mass which threatened to overwhelm me. I had it held, ready to expel, but I just couldn’t figure out how. As the song went on, I felt it begin to slip from my grip, and I knew that if I lost it, I’d be lost. Lost in the nightmare of the night before, but this time with no means of escape. Lost in a prison of my own making…

 

[Rufus the Mad]

I watched, curiously, I will admit, as the Sprites descended on her, and shook my head as they all arranged themselves carefully around her… Even my two, little Spiderwort and Mapleflame, started to crawl that direction as if drawl by some hypnotic power. They stopped, though, shaking their heads and looking confused, at a random note I hit accidentally while waiting for the song to begin, and scurried back to me, shame and surprise washing over their tiny features…

I smiled down at them, letting them know it was alright, as Glory asked her Mistress to sing, and heard the first soft notes spill forth. It wasn’t the same song, but it was close… more of a variation on the theme, and one I could easily pick up, so I listened for a bit, noting the chord changes, the bridge there, the staccato tempo shift there… She was singing about pain, about fury, and in a language I didn’t rightly recognize… but it was all there, hidden in the music.

She got to the second chorus… and seemed to falter, to stumble just a bit… and that’s when I swept in. I had listened to her song, had heard the shifts, modes, and changes… and now brought my own.

In a brash rhythm, I charged into the chorus, my fingers strumming, picking, and flicking their way through a mad tempo, one that began well outside the song, seemed to be no part of it, but that had slowly melded with it, coincided with it, by the end of the chorus. Where she was sorrow and woe, I was passion and strength, where she sang of pain, I was a sheltering backdrop, gently washing away the tears, cuddling close and protecting her, where she sang again of the chase, I stood strong, defiant, and dared them to try! We were a pair apart, but one together, opposite, yet the same. The song, though of two parts, was but a single piece of music.

 

[KaosDancer]

But then he was there, helping me, holding me, showing the way out of the madness which threatened my very soul. I reached for him, the pain in my hand forgotten as I sought out the one who called to me… the one who led me… the one I loved. I felt a weight lift from me at that realization. The years of pain and loneliness were gone, as if they never existed. There was nothing else but him, my love, my soul mate, and as our hands touched, the mass of pain and within me melted, and I cried out as I felt it wash out of me, leaving me feeling naked in front of him, in front of all of them. No longer shielded by my years of study and determined isolation, but instead a part of something, something that I hadn’t even known existed until this very moment. I opened my eyes, smiled at him, and fainted.

 

[Rufus the Mad]

The song was still fading, slower than it should, by my reckoning, and I let my hands drop from the strings, my fingers tingled as I smiled down at my two little girls and held out my right hand to them, letting them cling to my tired fingers in sheer joy, and reached out with my left and clasped Theresa’s hand without thinking…

There was an explosion of light, a rush of air… and nothing… I blinked. I blinked again, and turned to Tess just in time to see her look toward me, in time to see her smile at me, a look of …love… filling her green eyes, and just in time to see her pass the hell out.

“Ummm, Glory?” I asked, my mind filling suddenly with cold, stomach-churning thoughts…

“Yes Master?” came the respectful reply… (respectful?)

“Is she… umm. Is she …” I stammered, my mouth not able to ask the questions my mind was coming up with…

“She but sleeps Master,” she said quietly, grasping her Mistress by the thumb and turning her hand so I could see the lack of damage “All is well… All is very well indeed…”

I rose then, unconsciously shifting my hand to my shoulder so the girls could find a grip, and circled the table. The Sprites, watching me, touching and petting their Mistress, simply moved aside, flowed away… giving me just enough room to examine her feet, and find no damage. I scooted the skirt up to her knees, saw not a blemish, and breathed a sigh of relief…

“Higher Master…” said Glorymorn, her voice a sultry whisper…

I shifted the skirt higher, looking for any sign of the wound that had marred her thigh, and nodded, well pleased that she seemed fully recovered.

“Higher… Master…” breathed Glorymorn softly…

I snapped my gaze to the little blue Sprite, my eyes turning to cold, blue ice, and stood back up, dragging the skirt back down to those dainty ankles once more. “Glorymorn…” I said carefully, my voice holding a hard edge, “I kept our secret, and it seems I will continue to do so… but if you ever act toward your Mistress in such a manner again, and I swear before all here that I will test if that pledge holds true beyond death. Do you hear me?”

“y y…yes Master…” came the soft reply, her head bowed as she sank to her knees on the table.

“Good. Now, how is she doing, can you tell?”

She snapped back to her feet quickly, using her wings to lift her, and walked over to touch the side of Theresa’s face, petting gently before turning to me again. “She rests… and should recover within a few minutes, Master. Thank you for helping her Master, she was all but lost… It was well that you were here.”

“I’ll always be here squirt.” I said easily, drawing my knuckle down the side of Glory’s face carefully. “You wanna help me with the desert?”

“I’m not sure I should…” Glory stammered as she blushed brightly, remembering the incident with last-night’s treat, “Master.” she added at the end, blushing even brighter when she realized she’d left off the honorific.

”Well why they hell not?” I asked, confused and amused at the same time, ”It’s just strawberries and cream. You liked ‘em fine last night…”

 

[KaosDancer]

I woke slowly, feeling the warmth of the sprites clustered close around and on me. They weren’t doing anything, just huddling close in case I needed the comfort, but I could feel the adoration flowing off them like a physical force. I lay there, letting my new-found senses deal with this before engaging in any other interactions with the outside world. As I became more attuned to the world, I became slowly aware that D and Glory were talking, Good he was here? I’d say so! Not like last time… Last time? What…? I felt it fade, slide back into the recesses of my mind. Not yet. I told myself, soon, but for now, the love is enough.

I sighed inwardly as some of the pressure I was feeling off my Sprites faded. I lay there for a moment longer, listening to the interplay between my beloved and Glory and making sure I was ready to sit up. Squirt? I though, well I guess that works, though it’d probably be a better name for my Ellyllons. When I heard Glorymorn’s faltering answer about helping with the strawberries I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but his innocent reply about last night was just too much for me to take. I opened my eyes, sat up and scooped Glory from the table, giggling the whole time. “Are you picking on my poor little darling?” I asked D as I tried to frown, but failed miserably. Continuing to giggle, I turned Glory around so she could see the startled look of confusion on his face, and we both burst out laughing.
/

 

[Rufus the Mad]

"I most certainly am... not... What's so funny?"

Getting the distinct impression that I was missing something, I looked at the two of them, and smiled. Damn she looks good... I thought to myself, shaking my head and breaking into a grin at their continued laughter as I said ta hell with it and began scooping out the strawberries and layering them into the small bowls with the whipped cream. Let them have their fun, as long as she was happy... I just wanted the desert!

The bowls filled, there was still about a half a bowls worth left... not enough to put away, but too much to just pitch. Arching an eyebrow, an evil grin sneaking across my face, I spun the copper container across the table, bringing it to rest about six inches from the edge, and then sat down to enjoy my food, sliding Tess hers as I did so. At her questioning glance toward the bowl I gave the same evil grin again, wrinkled up my nose, and simply nodded toward her legs... and the hoard of Sprites that seemed determined to cling to her.

The berries were even better than they were last night, as I knew they would be for setting in the syrup, and the look on my little girls faces as I fed them a bite each was enough to bring a round of laughter from me as well... They may have been intrigued with the idea of sugared treats last night, but today they were absolutely in love!

 

[KaosDancer]

I watched his hands as he worked, doling out the berries and cream, not trusting myself to look at his face. I sat there, hugging my little blue friend to me as my laughter subsided. I was confused for a moment when D slid the bowl to the other end of the table, but his intent was clear in a moment.

I picked up Glory and moved her close to my mouth. “What do you think little one?” I whispered softly. “Would they like it?”

She looked at me with fire in her eyes and said, “Never as much as Glorymorn did Mistress.”

“Agreed.” I whispered. “But, should we give it to them?”

She smiled and said, “Glorymorn does not see the harm in it.”

“Ok.” I told her, “but you stay here and share mine.”

Her eyes opened wide and she ducked her head and blushed as she whispered, “Glorymorn would wish for nothing else.”

I lean over and kissed her lightly on the top of the head and then sat her beside my bowl. “Girls.” I said, tapping lightly on the shoulder of one of my clingers-on. “We’ve got a treat for all you.”

“Treat Mistress?” “Treat?” “We like treats Mistress.” The creatures said as they fluttered up around me in a cloud of brightly colored lights.

“Yes.” I told them. “It’s in the bowl over there, but be careful,” I warned them, “it’s sticky!”

The group flew over and landed next to the bowl, looking over the rim at the berries swimming in heavy syrup at the bottom of it. They kept looking back to where our three sat obviously enjoying themselves, and then back at the berries. Finally, one adventurous soul flew over the edge and snagged a slice of strawberry, dripping in juice. Looking at her sisters, she took a big bite and squealed in delight at the taste. That was all it took for the hoard of Sprite to pile into the bowl, grabbing berries and handfuls of the sweet juice.

I sighed and shook my head at their antics. “They’re gonna be too sticky to fly when they’re done.” I told D with a grin.

 

[Rufus the Mad]

Feeding my little girls, taking the occasional bite myself, I laughed and nodded over to Tess, my eyes dancing with merriment as I said "Well ya know... if we stick 'em all together, we might be able ta make a full sized person out of 'em..."

 

[KaosDancer]

I glanced down at Glorymorn, and we both burst out laughing. When we had calmed ourselves I looked over at D and said, “I don’t think your boys would like that very much. Do you?”

Still giggling, I got up from the table and picked up the large copper bowl that had contained the whipped cream. Winking at D I turned and walked over to the pool, intending to clean out the bowl and bring it back with wash water for my sticky servants. I wasn't surprised when the nereid took if from me, I was surprised when I noted the tiny creatures waving at me from within the water. I knelt down so I could see them better. "Are you the Ellyllons then?" I asked softly.

"Yes Mistress." a elder male said to me with a nod. "We are glad to see you're feeling better Mistress."

"Thank you kindly sir." I said with a smile. "It is nice to be feeling better. So, are you to be my main contact with your people?"

"Yes Mistress." He said with a nod, "I am Andreas, you humble servant Mistress."

“Thank you Andreas,” I said with a smile, “But I’m not sure what I’m going to ask of you. I have not yet remembered your abilities.”

“We will tend the camp Mistress,” He said with a serious look on his face, “and, with the help of the Saleerandee, we will prepare your meals.” He looked up her and added, “It is not proper that…”

“Lighten up.” I interrupted. “Thank you for you kind offer, and I’m sure we’ll take you up on it… part of the time, but” I said with a smile. “I like to cook.” I looked over to where the Nereid was waiting for me and then back at the Ellyllon. “I have to attend to my other followers right now, but I’ll come back and talk later.”

The regal little creature bowed, and I took the bowl of water from the Nereid and walked back over to the table. “Well,” I said with a sigh, setting it down between D and I, “Those guys are a bunch of stuffed shirts.”

 

[Rufus the Mad]

What the fuck is goin on!? Puck thought furiously, the Dryad forgotten for the moment... He had heard the song, had felt the power they generated by playing together... Hell, the whole damned FOREST felt that! And things are movin way to friggin fast now... everybody is gonna come back, they're all gonna wake up... and ain't nothin been fucking FIXED yet!!

He thought furiously, trying desperately to see some way around this, some way to keep his advantage... He held so much, and had planned so long to take this chance... He wasn't about to let a couple of lucky humans take it all away! No, he wants his Master back, he wants his Mistress... these namby-pamby wanna-be's weren't gonna steal anything he had kept for them, not now, and not bloody ever!

Abandoning his thoughts of antagonizing the "Master's" new toy, the spry-legged Fae bounded toward the deep forest, turning and twisting his way through the hidden ways, and grinning gleefully as the trees turned darker, more decayed... Finding the way to this secret spot was always so difficult... but when one seeks the hidden caves... one must walk the hidden paths...

**************************************************

Theresa brought the big bowl over, filled with water from the living spring, and one of the Sprites, curious little things till the bitter end, just had to ask what it was for. "It's a bath, little one." Tess answered, smiling down at her follower.

Had they still been able to fly, I would imagine thay would have been sweeping through the air in giddy ecstasy... but as it was, they were able to get in one, maybe two rounds of clapping and jumping up and down before their hands stuck together. Still, it was hilarious to watch them trying to lick the bowl clean... their hands clean... then each other clea... HEY! "Umm... Tess? You were saying something about mine?"

"GIRLS!!"

Laughing loudly, my eyes shining with tears as I fought to keep from falling into a fit of giggles at Theresa's exasperated expression, I placed my hands to either side of the bowl of ice cold water, just touching the copper of the bowl itself, and sent the heat that seemed to live at the core of me streaming down my arms and through my hands, warming the water to just shy of steaming hot. Then, as I sat back, I realized what the hell I had just done...

"Ya know," I said, staring at the palms of my perfectly fine hands "I think this is just gonna be a freaky day... is it Monday or something?"

I turned to look at Tess, not really looking for validation or anything, but more just to see what she thought, and found her with an amused little half smile on her face, and her eyebrows locked in the same expression that women seem to reserve for babies and fuzzy animals. Following her look, I lost it completely, and finally did, at long last, bust out into a fit of giggles as I saw the mass of Sprites, all of them lumbering around like the Frankenstein Monster, trying to figure out how to climb into the big copper bowl... "Alright, you know we're gonna have to actually put them in there, right?"

 

[KaosDancer]

“Come here my darlings.” I giggled, reaching out and picking up the nearest of the syrup-covered creatures. I stopped and checked the temperature of the water with the skin of my wrist. It was a bit warm, but not too hot, so I gently lowered the sticky sprite into the water, watching closely for any sign of discomfort. The look of bliss on the her face reassured me, and as soon as I knew she was settled, I scooped up another and added her to the water as well. ”Why do I feel like we’re making Sprite soup?” I asked D with a giggle as I worked.

After I got the last of them in the water, I leaned back and watched, amazed that so many Sprites would fit in a bowl. It reminded me of the old question of 'How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?' Well, it did, until I saw one of the little creatures turn and passionately kiss another. I was getting to reprimand them, but they soon broke it up and it rapidly degenerated into an insanity of splashing and giggling. Without thinking, I brought a wind up in front of me, shielding me from madly flung water and watched them play as I thought about what D had said, I left Friday, I thought to my self, Making the day we met Saturday, and then yesterday... I burst out laughing and looked over at my companion, when he gave me a quizzical look I giggled again, and told him. "It is Monday!"

A strange feeling seemed to be building within me. I was feeling playful and... Oh Hell! I thought to myself as I realized were the feeling was coming from. I glanced over to where the girls were playing and could tell they were really getting themselves worked up, and that I could easily be in trouble if I didn’t' do something about it. They really need to calm down a bit. I thought to myself with a chuckle. As the table and the surrounding area was quickly soaked. I thought about it for a moment and then turned to Glorymorn who was happily sitting on my shoulder watching the proceedings. “Hey, little one,” I said, “Do you think you could find me some lavender and chamomile flowers?”

“I guess Mistress.” she said with a puzzled look on her face as she flew off my shoulder in search of what I requested.

I reached over and picked up the coffee press, working quickly, I poured the last of the brew into my cup and dumped the used grounds into my empty bowl. Using a little of the water from the kettle, I rinsed out the pot and set it aside to wait for Glory’s return. I then handed D the kettle and said, ”Bring this back up to a boil, would you?”

It wasn’t long before Glorymorn returned, followed by a very nervous-looking Dryad who was carrying a basket of flowers. The jumpy creature dropped the basket next to me, and fled back to her tree. I just shook my head as she ran, not sure what in the world she was so scared of. I looked at D and shrugged and then set to fixing up the press. I carefully packed as many flowers as I possibly could into the press, took the pot from D and poured the boiling water over the flowers, shaking it a time or two to release any air bubbles so that as much water as possible could be added. As the steam rose into the air, the little frolicking Sprites settled down and turned to watch what I was doing. It didn’t take long for the water to release the essential oils from the flowers and create a strongly scented tea.

I pressed down the plunger on the pot, forcing the flowers to the bottom and then looked at the bowl of fairies. “Move back a bit girls,” I told them, picking up the pot, “This is gonna be hot.” The Sprites moved to give me a clear area and I slowly poured the steaming tea into their bath water. As the heat began to reach them, the girls began stirring the water around, mixing the hot infusion into their bathwater. As the scent of the water permeated their bath, the little creatures began to relax, settling back against the walls of bowl, and each other.

I sighed as they calmed and the pressure of their excitement eased off me. I really hope I learn how to block that out soon, I thought to myself as I settled back into my chair and watched the drowsy bowl of Sprites. I looked at the rest of the table, and then over at D. "So," I said with a yawn, "Who's turn is it to do dishes?"

"Our's Mistress." I heard from down near my feet. "If you would but hand them down to us."

I looked down and there they were, a crowd of Ellyllons, their arms upraised, waiting for me to give them the dishes. I looked over at D, shrugged and started handing them the used plates, bowls and utensils. I hesitated before handing them the empty strawberry bowl but they just gestured that I should give it to them, so I did. As the troop of them marched off with the bowl, I looked around the camp and smiled when I saw that they had already grabbed the pans from the fire and were happily scrubbing them. I also noted that the grass seemed to be moving in a strange single line. As the line passed I saw that there were at least a hundred of the little things walking through camp, picking up trash and straightening things as they went.

“A person could learn to get used to this.” I laughed, putting my feet up on my stone foot rest and looking over at D.

 

[Rufus the Mad]

The heat rose in me, flaring higher and brighter, and the droplets of water, flung by the carefree Sprites evaporated to steam instantly, never even coming close to me. I watched as the wisps of vapor were whipped away by the wind that Theresa summoned, and grinned at the way that river of moving air protected her from the drops that scattered toward her. She seemed to pause then, nodding her head slightly as she counted, and looked at me with laughter in her eyes and a fit of giggles spilling from those luscious lips as she sputtered out the horrid truth… It really was Monday!

”Well then.” I said with a grin, reaching forward to take the kettle from her, and heating it between my hands, ”I guess I’m officially on a permanent vacation then, ain’t I?” I hadn’t even thought about heating the kettle before I did it, but once I had I sat there again, just staring at my hands, and shaking my head a bit. Monday… I should have friggin known. Weird shit always happens to me on Mondays…

I looked over at the fire pit, seeing the Saleerandee lounging there, and held up my hands with a questioning look on my face, silently asking them if this was normal. Oh yesssss Masssster... came the answer, just as loud here as it had been when I was right next to them Our element is yourssssss… to command… I nodded to them, and glanced at Tess to see what she thought of their strange voices… and saw that she didn’t even seem to have heard them. That gave me a bit of a pause, but then I remembered the “conversation” she’d had earlier with the water…thing. And how the tree girl from the night before last had been able to speak to me there at the end without moving that sweet mouth of hers…

I blinked at the sound of something dropping to the ground nearby, and caught sight of a greenish-brown leg vanishing into the tree that shaded our table. Well I’ll be a son of a bitch… I thought to myself, my mind racing back to the nocturnal encounter I had enjoyed That’s why the damned thing is here! And it also explains why Elderoot is still hangin around. Hell I bet to his kind a little babe like that is just too much ta miss! Hell, fer all I know that’s what his women actually are! Maybe she’s the female version of… whatever the hell he is. I turned to look at the big gnarled tree guy again, and was a bit surprised and disconcerted to see one of the big gold and green eyes open, and watching me very carefully… Oooh fuck… he knows... I thought to myself, wondering at the same time if I might be able ta talk my way out of fightin a forty some odd foot tall giant tree-man over the damaged honor of a girl who, fer all I knew might have been his wife or sister! That big eye closed though, and a faint smile crossed over what passed for his face, or at least I’m gonna hope it did, and I turned quickly so I didn’t have to take a chance of seein that eye open again. Hell, as slow as he moved, he might just be blinkin! As I swung around, however, I couldn’t help but see what else was comin out of the trees nearby…

Tess said something about dishes, and I automatically swung my head back around, blinking and handing her my plates, cup, and flatware, not even aware she was handin them down to the tiny folks around her feet, and turned back to watch the twenty or so Satyr’s stroll into camp, little ‘Chesty’ among them, of course, and then spied out the stitched leather hats and homespun clothing of the small army of Brownies that were comin in after ‘em. Most of the Satyr’s waved to me as they entered, spreading around and finding their comfort on the grass or among the flowers, and Chesty the heated little wench, blew me a kiss before slipping into my tent, but the Brownies came straight up to me, collecting in a loose mob around my feet, and looked up at me like I owed ‘em money. ”Well then, Sar” said one of them, stepping forward from the group and setting his hands on his hips ”Wot ye be wantin dun har then?” I raised both brows in an unmistakable ‘Huh?’ gesture, and he acted like I was wasting his valuable time, lowering his own brows to a flat line as he said ”Wif da grounds, Sar? We be landscapers by trade, an the best wot tha the farest has te offer. Ain’t none wot kin get a job dun quicker, ar moor better’n oos, ar I’m a bloody Elly… uhh... Beg pardon Sar, near ta fergot meself thar fer a moment. We’ve but coom ta care fer tha lands round-about yer chosen site, Master, and ta see wot no harm cooms ta that which we tend.”

”Oh… um… Well, that is… we haven’t actually… aw hell, just make the place look nice, and that good enough fer me, alright?” They nodded, all of them... as a group... just once... and headed off in different directions, each of them carrying tools of some sort, and a few even pushin wheelbarrows! I looked to Tess, who was just then turning to look at me, the same faint smile of uncertainty washing over her face, and those same steepled brows telling me she was just as confused as I was, no matter how well she seemed to be taking it. Looking around, seeing the Satyrs, Brownies, Sprites, little white coated … whatevers and such takin care of pretty much everything here, I looked back at her, trying ta figure out what to do next, when the calm, clear voice of my Grandma floated across my mind, saying ”If there ain’t nothing else ta do, why not go swimmin?” Smart woman my Grandma. ”Well Tess,” I said with a small laugh ”Looks ta me like we’re quick gonna be in the damned way here… I’m fixen ta go swimming down by the falls, you wanna go with?”

 

[KaosDancer]

“That sounds like fun.” I said brightly thinking about the coolness of the water and the... I stopped, remembering what had happened last time... I sighed and looked over at him and shook my head. "I don't think so." I said softly, "I'm pretty sure they stole my suit."

 

[Rufus the Mad]

"Well hell darlin," I said with a laugh, "I don't even have one, remember? I was headed out fer a fishin trip, not a weekend by the pool!"

I looked up at the Sprites hovering excitedly nearby and said "I don't suppose y'all have somethin we can swim in do ya?"

 

[KaosDancer]

I was looking expectantly at the girls when Glorymorn stood up on my shoulder and leaned over and whispered in my ear, "How about water Mistress?"

“Glory!” I exclaimed shock at my little follower’s boldness. I turned, so I could see her out of the corner of my eye and said, “He’s talking about clothing.”

“Oh.” She said, her large eyes opening innocently as she said, “Sorry Mistress, Glorymorn got… confused.”

“Yeah, right.” I said with a huff. “Now are you gonna send them too…”

“Here you go, Mistress.” One of the Sprites said, flying up in front of me. “Would you like to dress here, or down by the lake?”

I looked over at D and then at what the little creature was holding. It seemed to be a pair of shorts and a top of swirling blue and green silk. “That’s probably a bit light to try and negotiate that path through the...”
“The way is easier now Mistress.” Glory said softy, “the Coblynau, Brownies and Ellyllon took care of it.”

I glanced down to where the Ellyllon were cutting the grass with what looked like a tape measure and a pair of scissors and said, “Well, in that case, I think I’ll get dressed up here.” With a quick smile at D, I stood up, turned and walked to my tent, assuming the Sprites with my clothes would follow. Once behind the safety of my canvas walls, I grabbed Glorymorn off of my shoulder and said, “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I’m not gonna go around parading naked in front of him!”

She gave me a wide eyed stare of fright and said, “But you love him Mistress and your body cries out for…”

“We are more than just our body’s desire.” I said, shaking her lightly, “We are also our hearts and our minds. I am not going to give into my desire until I see something other than lust in his eyes. Do I make myself clear?”

“But Mistress,” she pleaded, “If you do then he may remember his love…”

“I don’t want him to remember his love.” I snapped sharply. “I want him to love me!” I sank to the floor of the tent, my hand opening, allowing Glorymorn to tumble free. “The way I love him.” I whispered, my face dropping into my hands as I sat there and trembled. Fighting to contain the out-of-control emotional rollercoaster I’d been on all morning. The three little Sprites clustered around me, soothing and petting until I managed to calm down.

Once I had myself under control, I stood and let them dress me in my new swim outfit. I was please to note that it wasn’t form-fitting, like I would have expected considering the way they’d been acting. Instead it was comfortable, and seemed to flow around me as if it was made of water itself.

Before they would allow me to leave the tent, they also quickly removed the flowers from my hair and let it drape naturally around my face and shoulders. Nodding in satisfaction, they opened my door and motioned for me to exit.

 

[Rufus the Mad]

I saw the exchange between Tess and her little helper, and couldn’t help but notice how much they seemed like sisters… like friends. They worked well together, and even as Tess tried to fight down the blush that resulted from whatever it was that Glorymorn had said, she kept that same smile, like she had just been razzed by a friend. It was kinda cool. The other Sprites arrived then, bearing her suit, or at least what I assumed was gonna be her suit. It kinda looked like boxer shorts and a tank-top to me, but what the hell. As she slipped into her tent to change, again with that adorable blush, Spiderwort and Mapleflame came up to me, bearing a pair of shorts between them.

”For you Master!” Wort said, grinning wide, and almost prancing in the air.

I took the shorts, and hefted their weight… they were about as heavy as a pair of light socks, and were colored about the same blue-green pattern that Theresa’s suit had been. Shrugging, figurin I didn’t have anything ta lose, I ducked into my tent and let the girls undress me. I was just about to step into my shorts when I heard the giggling… and remembered who I had seen duck in here earlier. I knew she wasn’t in front of me, so I just tried to go ahead and get my suit on, but Chesty beat me to it. I heard the faint sound of her hooves on the tarp below me, and felt her oversized breasts pressing into my lower back, felt her warm breath and light kisses just below my shoulder blades… and her delicate fingers as she reached around my hips and…

*SMACK*

”This is getting old real quick girlie...” I said, allowing her to pull her now stinging hand back while I pulled my trunks up ”You seem ta think I’m just here ta get laid, get drunk, and party my ass off. Well truth be told, come up ta even six months ago, I’d a been yer bedtime boy… But I got real tired a that shit pullin Joey’s happy ass outta the gutter over and over again. That dumb son of a bitch pretty much showed me just what’ll happen if all ya do is go from bar ta bar, from woman ta woman… Nah, I might roll ya eventually, if things work out thata way, but I been ready fer a good steady woman now fer half a year… and you don’t look like tha “Let’s have a baby” type. Now go on and git. I ain’t gonna tell ya no more.”

Settled the almost non-existent trunks around my hips, I watched the Satyr girl scoot back out of the tent, her eyes wide as she vanished through the canvas, and then turned my eyes to my little girls. The two of them had tears in their eyes, and beautiful smiles on their faces, though they were tinged with a sadness I understood at once. ”That don’t include my girls…” I said with a soft smile, shaking my head ”You oughta know that by now.”

They brought me a robe made of the same filmy material as the shorts, and I was tying the belt closed when Maple spoke up, saying ”You are going to do so well here… Master, thank you…”

I didn’t have the damnedest clue as to what she might have meant, but she seemed suddenly so happy that I just petted her on her flame-colored hair and left the tent, looking around to see if Theresa was out here already.

 

[KaosDancer]

I walked out the door and saw that D was waiting for me. Refusing to let him see my inner turmoil, I simply smiled and walked over to him, only to be interrupted by two of my Sprites carrying a robe which matched the outfit I had on. I took it from them and threw it on, amused to see that it had a full sweeping skirt which was a little shorter in the front than in the back. I looked at D and smiled. “I guess I’m supposed to be girly even when going swimming.” I told him with a laugh.

“Mistress!" "Mistress!” I heard behind me. I turned and looked and was puzzled to see a group of the Ellyllons bearing a basket. “What’s that?” I asked.

“Things you may need for the day Mistress.” One of them said, peeking out from under the edge.

“Thank you.” I said with a nod, taking it from them.

I turned back to D and as I felt Glorymorn settled down on my shoulder, I grinned and asked, “Ready?”