A Witchy Tale - closed

[Tseranc]

He held her close, as she snuggled into him. Her scent mixed with the hay in the cold air, delighting his senses despite the temperature. Benny wrapped his arms around her to help keep the tiny woman warm, and because holding her felt good. Too good, and he knew it.

Still, he tried not to think on what she said about being able to remain with her for her life span, an not his…it would entice anyone, but he knew it was something he’d have to consider fully, and not just with his heart. She had his heart already, how he might never know, but to spend your life with someone had to be a sober decision, let along a much, much longer life. He drifted off to sleep after he heard her breaths deepen, in what he assumed was her slumber.

He had fitful dreams of meeting her uncle and being turning into nasty critters, or sent off to some worse, more remote hole in time, spending an eternal long life struggling just to get home. Sometimes Jackie was with him, sometimes not; the later being the hardest to bear.

The sun crept up, and warmed the air, inviting a rooster to sound his alarm. Benny flinched at the sound, knowing that if the bird was up, then people would already be about their tasks. He stifled a yawn, and looked about, seeing nothing but a gorgeous woman still in his arms and a bunch of hay. Instead he strained to listen for people. Nothing yet, at least not in the barn, so he risked nudging Jacquelyn awake. Whispering very softly into her ear, “We have to leave, in hopes we can get back to the woods without notice, clean up as best we can, and make our way to your uncle.”

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Jacquelyn rolled from her back to her side and tried to block out the words of getting up and moving. She didn’t want to. She was warm, and cozy, thoughts of Benny’s hands upon her skin had given her many erotic dreams, all of them leaving a moistness that would soon be evident once she was fully awake. He continued to coax her out of her slumber and eventually she opened her eyes, and recalled where they were and what it all meant. She blushed as she squeezed her inner muscles and felt the proof of her nighttime fantasies.

Pushing herself up, she too listened closely to the sounds of the farmer and his family, servants, or slaves beginning the morning rituals of the day. She pulled pieces of straw and hay from her hair and then wiped sleep from her eyes. “Good morning,” she whispered and then slowly rose up to a hunched position, the roof of the barn low since they had slept in the loft. “I do agree, leaving now would be most wise.”

Her stomach growled and she cursed, hoping she had enough magic to whip up breakfast, but already she could feel herself growing weaker. She wanted to box her Uncle’s ears for putting her and Benny in the situation they were in, but until she found him she couldn’t.

Benny climbed down from the loft first and then signaled for her to come down. She scurried as best she could and then held his hand as he led her to the barn’s door and then slipped out after scanning the yard. It wasn’t long before they were darting behind various barrels and a few horses, ones she really wouldn’t have minded stealing, but feeling a noose around her neck was about as pleasant as being burned at the stake for her natural profession.

They reached the woods, safe and sound, but out of breath. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, before pulling back and composing herself. “Well, I am ready for the next adventure. . .NOT.” Her bangs lifted from her sweaty brow and she wondered how bad she stank because Benny was slowly beginning to rank.

 

[Tseranc]

Benny laughed at her very modern ‘NOT’ and got to work at pulling straws of hay from his clothes, then doing the same to her own His stomach growled back at hers, but he forced that thought down. Even after all the picking and cleaning they could do, their clothes did not look like that of a noble, or at least how a noble would be seen in them.

“Jacquelyn, I hate to ask, but you got enough mojo left to make us clean and presentable? Food exists in this world, and I promise to find us some, but I imagine it will be harder to do looking as we do now.” He hoped he was not asking too much.

”If we can be presentable, I will buy us some breakfast and make our way back into town. All will be in chaos, but we could ask around for your uncle, and claim our baggage was taken in the chaos by bandits. I’m in hope that finding him leads us to getting home, because that’s as far of a plan as I have. That and staying the hell away from anything not decidedly allied with the crown. We can make no remarks or actions that might point us out as supporters of the foiled attack today, or even just having opinions that differ from the government. Not today.”

He sighed, and whipped sweat from his forehead. It came from the nervousness at his plans, since it was still a cold November morning. November 5th. He shook his head in disbelief over the very idea he was where and when he was.

“Maybe we could start discreetly asking questions before we even reach town. I doubt it, but dare hope your uncle is some eclectic noble living outside of the city.”

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Jacquelyn bit her lower lip. She could feel already that her powers would run out before the evening presented itself. She didn’t want to disappoint Benny though and try to conserve what she had by leaving them both looking like roughens that had killed some Lord and Lady and the stolen their clothes and money. Knowing that if they were stopped looking like they did, and behaving like idiots lost in time they would be hauled before the local magistrate, separated and who knows when or if they’d find each other again. A shiver ran through her, and her thoughts convinced her to grant his request.

“I’ll do my best,” she whispered and tried not to show her concern that this very well would drain her earlier than she was predicting.

She ran her fingers over his hair, coming out tangles and whispering words of magic that had long ago been taught to her. In time she felt the softness of clean strands of hair under her fingers and an equally clean scalp. She touched his face, washing away dirt and grime, her eyes remained locked on his as she ran her palms down his neck, across his shoulders and then she slipped to her knees to caress the material covering his torso, chest, stomach, hips.

Jacquelyn pulled her gaze from his and concentrated her thoughts on her spell as she washed away grime, dust, odor, dirt, hay and any bugs that may have infested her companion. When she rose up, she refused to look at him, fearful she would see the desire she had in her eyes. It was wrong to want him the way she did, because she needed to focus on the situation, not her desire. She turned away and slowly cleansed herself in the same manner. After she was done, she felt her body sway and she leaned against a tree, taking in several deep breaths to try and calm her quivering fingers.

“I need a moment,” she whispered.

 

[Tseranc]

Benny stood, amazed that what felt just like a lovers hands running over him, he was cleaned and made presentable. “Sure beats a shower,” he joked, grinning, but saw how she averted her eyes and went to take care of herself in the same manner. She looked exhausted.

He felt guilty, having asked so much, not even knowing how much he asked really – clearly it had been a great deal. He gave her the moment she needed, using the time to think of their next move. His rumbling stomach seemed to prioritize manner for him, and wondered where the nearest inn, that was not the one they had come from in the night was. The sun had risen and the roosters were beginning to give up their loud call. Smells of fires being rekindled began to fill the morning air, and he figure on a direction that would take them back to a road as quickly as possible. People were on roads and could be asked where things were.

When she was ready, they made their way through the trees; careful not to undo the work she had done and finally emerged on a road. It didn’t take long to get pointed in the direction of an inn where he paid for a meal, and prided himself on speaking in a manner that didn’t draw too many glances. Nobles eating here would raise eye browns, but he didn’t explain himself, since he figured a noble wouldn’t bother explaining anything to a commoner.

Handing Jacquelyn a plate of breakfast meats and potatoes, he took a seat beside her. “Come on, eat up, you look pretty worn out. Regain your strength and we’ll go make your uncle get us out of this mess.” He placed a small kiss on her brow, and lovingly stared at her until she began to eat.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Jacquelyn ate her food, keeping her gaze averted from the “common” folk. She wanted to sleep, but knew it was not an option. Benny’s lips gave her a heated blush and she tucked the warm feeling of desire away. When their meal was finished, she rose and Benny tucked her in next to him. She walked slowly, lifting the edge of her gown so it never rested in the dust or grime of the room. They made it to the street and again she was kept close to his side as they made their way past carts and shops.

“Benny,” she whispered and then nodded toward what appeared to be a merchant who looked like he was about to leave the small village. “If he is going in our direction, perhaps we can pay to have him take us with him.”

She urged her ‘husband’ over to the gentleman and smiled warmly, allowing Benny to introduce them and explain that their belongings had been taken from them, but his Lady always kept spare coins on her person. She blushed as the implication as to where these monies were kept crossed the man’s face. The man said nothing, just studied the two of them. Jacquelyn could tell he was going to deny them passage and she inwardly cursed, then softly began to whisper words as she held the man’s gaze.

She knew Benny could hear her, but the spell was for the merchant and no other. Eventually his face took on a look of friendliness that wasn’t there before. Jacquelyn leaned against Benny and felt her body sway. She was assisted into the cart and then their “chauffeur” climbed on, offering Benny a hand. Once he was sat, the cart took off down the village road.

Jacquelyn looked behind her at the barrels the man had been loading and she breathed in the air that surrounded them. They reached the outskirts of town and she looked over to the stranger. “Sir, it is rude of me, but if you would be so kind as to tell me your name. I would like to repay you for your kindness.” Actually she felt guilty for using a spell to convince him to take them back to London. She wanted to reward him with something once they reached her Uncle, with what would be determined by his trade and how a gift to him would benefit his life.

“My name Lady. . .I do not find it rude at all. I would much rather be called my name than Sir all day. Guy Fawkes, at your service,” he said with a smile and then tapped the horses, causing them to quicken their steps.

 

[Tseranc]

Benny held back a yelp at the man’s name, but knew his eyes were as wide as saucers, and so turned to examine the ground that now moved beneath them. He glared at Jacquelyn, as if she had chosen the one man in all of England they were supposed to avoid on purpose.

He kept glancing back at the barrels in the wagon, wondering if these were the very ones in the plot today. Forcing himself to stare at the road ahead, he tried to ignore the fellow. But as the bumpy ride wore on, he found himself full of conflict. He could stop him, and aside from an odd day of observance he wondered how much he would really be changing. Was this man important to the world. He thought back to all the Star Trek episodes they spoke of the dangers of messing with the past, and wondered if he should really be listening to advice from a TV show. Surely stopping someone from attempting to kill others was the right thing to do, even if you knew they would get caught in time anyway…right?

By the time the countryside began to fade and homes started appearing again, Benny started looking for an escape. The fewer people that saw them with this man today the better. Whatever the case, this meant that finder her uncle had to happen today, and they had to convince him to send them back to their time, or else they might well die before they were ever born…and he KNEW that was bad, space-time continuum be damned.

Small country homes soon were replaced by larger buildings, as they entered the actual city. More faces here, more eyes to identify them as being with this man when he arrived. He had to think…

Benny doubled over, and grabbed his leg, moaning in pain. “Seems I’ve gotten a bit of a cramp here in my leg. Thank you kindly good Sir for the ride, but perhaps we should be off, and I’ll walk this bum leg out.” He shot a look to Jackie, as if daring her to not follow his lead. He massaged the leg, where there was no cramp at all. He just needed out before too many witnesses could see how many came to town on this wagon.

He pressed a coin into the man’s hand, and scolded himself for paying a plotting mass murderer. That fact he would not succeed did not change what he was. Limping along to keep up the act, he rounded on Jacquelyn, “I bet that uncle of yours had a hand in that too!” he exclaimed in a whisper. “I bet he toys with us now, no one can have the poor luck we have endured here, no one!”

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Jacquelyn was startled by Benny’s seemingly hostile manner. She blinked several times, feeling the eyes of several passing by on her and her supposed husband. She licked her lips and squared her shoulders. “I found us a way here, didn’t I,” she hissed and pushed past him, hurt by his angry features and his tossed out words.

When he caught up with her, she pulled her arm out of his grasp and muttered, “He has no clue we are here. I did not know that man was the man we needed to avoid. I am as lost as you are. You’re yelling at me is not making things easier. I am stuck in a place with a man I love, but who obviously doesn’t feel the same for me, and you know what that is fine. I’ll get you home. I’ll get you back to your precious 2007 and then you can find some whore to satisfy your most basic instincts. Come this way,” she hissed.

Again she stormed off, this time in the direction she felt a web of magic coming from. Her body was tense and her fists were clenched against her side. Her face was flushed and her heart ached.

What was with this man? She thought to herself. One minute he wants her, the next go slow, then he kisses her, holds her and keeps her warm at night, she uses her power to provide him with a clean garment and a fresh scrubbed body, she locates passage for them, and now he yells at her. “Ungrateful sod,” she softly cursed.

 

[Tseranc]

Benny surged ahead and grabbed her by the arm, her momentum spinning her around. As her eyes met his in surprise, they quickly turned to rage when the palm of his hand came across her face in a slap. It wasn’t hard, but it got her attention.

“Do…not…ever...assume I’d rather have some whore then you. We will get us home, we will deal with this uncle of yours and then we will sit down and have a nice, sensible chat over what and who we both are. I’m sorry I raised my voice, but that gives you NO right to accuse me of not caring, of being cheap.” He let her arm go, and with all the struggle she put into the that last little bit he was worried he bruised her. “For the moment, you should know I am damaged goods. A man who’s been hurt and spent so long avoiding women, it now seems I can’t speak two words without upsetting one. I care. I want no other. If that’s not good enough, then we’ll deal with it when we get back. Neither of us belongs here and it’s clear we won’t last much longer in this time. So lets just stay focused…. please?”

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Jacquelyn felt hot tears welling up in her eyes and she bit down on her trembling lip. She was stunned as the violence in his eyes brought her up short. She ran her palm across her cheek and nodded her head. "I guess it's good I found out there is a violent streak in you before we really got screwed up in each other's lives."

“I am just as upset as you are,” she told him. She swallowed the lump in her throat and wished they were home. She took a deep breath and licked her lips. “You wouldn’t have this problem if it weren’t for me. It may have been my uncle that put us here, but it was my spell that started us down this path.”

She slipped to his side, reclaiming his arm and nodding farewells to those that had stopped to gawk. “Please, let’s keep walking. I can feel magic coming from this direction and if I am not mistaken, though lately. . .well. . .I believe that house at the end of the Culdesac is my Uncle’s. He was a man who enjoyed the garishness of the gothic culture.”

They walked down the long street, keeping close to the iron railings that served as fencing. “You’ll have to bluff your way into seeing him. A Lady is meant to be seen and not heard in this particular day and age.” Her body remained stiff against his as she replayed the rage and the way he'd chosen to lash out at her.

 

[Tseranc]

He regretted his hasty action as soon as he saw the genuine hurt in her eyes as she decided to part ways. He might spend a lifetime apologizing for that, but seriously, she was out of control. Maybe being born with magical abilities spoiled a person from the cradle.

But those were thoughts for another day. He had to get them home before she could break his heart into tiny little shards. They approached the home she indicated, and he scowled at the door. “Look, for what its worth, I’m sorry I slapped you. That doesn’t make you right or….” Be broke off, not wishing to argue again, especially here and now. “I shouldn’t have. That’s all.” He rapped on the door before she could add any comments.

A butler, he guessed they were called, answered and he went to work as best he could. “Hello there my good man. It had come to my attention that the master of this home is a collector, of sorts. Would you be so good as to inform him that we’d be delighted to come in and offer our services at acquiring some fine items?”

The man locked him over; curiously but then shut the door, hopefully to get her uncle. “Hope that was good enough, not exactly the same as talking your way into a drug dealers house.”

Within moment the man returned, opening the door, wider this time, and ushering them in to a sitting room. He told them the Master of the house would be with them shortly. Benny was in, but now he hoped that the show was more of a duet vs. solo act.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Her eyes glanced briefly at the butler as he closed the door behind them. She quickly began to scan the room and drag her fingers over several bound books. “Yes!” she exclaimed, and then spun on her heels. “This is his home,” she told Benny. Her grin wide and then it fell as she realized that it meant they were one step closer to getting home.

She looked down at her finger and toyed with the ring. “Here we won’t need these anymore,” she whispered and tried to tug the gold band off. Her face contorted in a mask of confusion as she pulled and yanked at the metal. “What the fuck?” she hissed and then stared up at Benny. “It’s stuck!”

Jacquelyn’s eyes grew wide in shock. “Is yours? Try to tug it off!” she demanded. Her panic rising as she went back to pulling on her own wedding band. She stopped when the door opened and a man who looked just like her Uncle in 2006 walked over the threshold.

“Hello Miss and Mister?”

Her Uncle Maximal walked over to Benny with an extended hand. Jacquelyn stepped forward and grabbed his wrist. “Uncle Maximal. I am Jaquelyn Widowswood from 2006. This is Benny. You sent us here and we need you to send us back.” She hadn’t been meaning to blurt it all out, but she had and now she worried her lip.

Maximal turned his head back to Benny, then over to Jacquelyn again. “Sit down girl and let your man tell me what he did to rile me so?” He didn’t doubt he’d done what the young girl was accusing him of, he was known for ridding himself of people who annoyed him or those he cared for. He walked over and took a seat behind a large cherry desk. As he stared at the young man he was reminded of another youth who he had sent to 280 BC China. A small sneer lifted as he recalled he’d not yet found his way back to his time.

 

[Tseranc]

So did he believe her? Maximal probably did, if nothing he had to know himself, and that grin said he knew all to well. Benny suddenly started to wonder if this was the first time the he-witch did such a horrible thing. Little wonder why people went around scared to death of people with power, and set out to hunt them!

Benny spoke clearly, knowing full well there was no such thing yet as a New York accent, at least not like his. “It seems, Sir, I was taken off guard by my house being overrun with what I learned only shortly before were real, living, witches. I believe we had an exchange of words…. it seems I came out on the loosing end.” He gestured as I he had nothing much really to offer.

“We’d both rather appreciate it if you could send us back to where we belong. I have your family to meet and some making up to do, with all of you I imagine.” He looked pleadingly at Jacquelyn, who he knew would top that list of apologies…even if she deserved it, he never should have struck her. He would apologize and be grateful he was not turned into a toad or some damn thing.

But the man just sat, amused and continued watching them. “Well, while you, yourself here have just met her, it seems you’re rather protective of your niece. You and the family came over to check on her after a storm hit our town, and she was starched up a bit.” Hoping to add why they had met in the first place would add to their case, Benny grew even more frustrated as that damned man just sat chuckling at him. Thoughts of the repercussions of kicking someone’s ass so hard they felt it still 402 years later crossed his mind.

“Ok, look at it this way, if you send us back now, you have a few centuries to think up how it is you want deal with me, and return Jackie to her home.”

Just how impossible was this family?!

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Maximal pushed his chair back, and pulled a cigar from his breast pocket. He brought it to his nose, breathed deep and then bit then end, spit it away, finally placed it between his lips and snapped his fingers. A flame ignited out of thin air and he lit his cigar. “Is this true?” he asked his niece.

“Yes,” she answered, taking a seat away from Benny.

Maximal looked at the distance between them, then down at her hand and his. “You’re married?”

She bit her lower lip and shook her head. “No. I forged the rings from some gold coins. We thought it wise to travel as a married couple.”

“Travel? Why didn’t you come here straight away?”

“Well, there are things happening here and we couldn’t interrupt history. . . it really doesn’t matter we are here now. Please send us home.”

He snickered and sucked some of the rich nicotine from the cigar. “I can’t Missy.”

Her face paled and she turned to Benny then back to Maximal. “I don’t understand. You sent us here! Send us home!”

“Listen girl. . . I do this sort of thing all the time. You’ll get home, but not till time’s ready to send you there. Now,” he rose from his chair and winked at the young couple, “I’ll have Aggie show you to your rooms and then we’ll dine within the hour.” He moved past a gaped mouth Jacquelyn and over to the door. “Benjamin. Be a good man and see if that ring comes off. I’m curious. Humor me. . .”

Maximal waited long enough to see, and then chuckled as he walked out of the room and called for Aggy. "Set them up in the Gold room, they be mated for life," he said, his voice echoing in the halls.

 

[Tseranc]

Benny wondered at the man’s words, and felt his heart sink. Idly he tugged at the ring, and stopped. His head shot in Jacquelyn’s direction as he yanked and pulled at the golden band, without it budging. Maximal left laughing down the hall and the words hit him like several blows to the head.

“Mated for life….” He whispered. His head spun. He got up, and walked over her, while she continued tugging at her matching band with the same success. He just looked at her until she stopped fighting the ring and looked up at him. He knelt down in front of her chair, and took her ringed hand in his. “Jackie, what’s he mean? I guess I am past going slow, and I’m working hard to wrap my mind around all this magic stuff. We had words, and I know you’re still pissed at me, but please, just tell me straight out what’s going on? Why are we stuck here, and did he really mean we’re….mated for life? Is that like married?”

He knew he had about a snowballs chance in hell at getting a straight answer from her, and he wished she’d just slap him to call it even and they could move on – but women never worked that way. Too simple for them to even consider.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

She blinked several times as she stared down at him. Her lips trembling and her fingers now suddenly cold. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “I was told that when you found your mate you would know it and they’d love you for who you were, cherish you, want to be a constant source of support. . .that’s what mom told me. But. . .you don’t want this life.”

Her eyes closed and tears fell. “I’m sorry Benny. I have ruined your life. All because of a speeding ticket. I used my powers to get out of it. I tricked you into going out with me, dancing with me. . . I’m sorry. I’m spoiled. I know that now. I deserved to be beaten. You should have hit me harder.”

She pushed him away and walked over to the window. Clouds were rolling in. “I don’t understand why he can’t send us back. I don’t know why the rings won’t budge, unless what he says is true.” Again she touched the band. It spun, but refused to leave her finger. “There has to be a trick to get us back to 2006, maybe it is just. . .” she shrugged her shoulders, “growing up? I really don’t know. I haven’t a clue as to what it might be. Some heroic act?”

Jacquelyn leaned her head against the glass window that over looked a garden. “I hope someday you’ll forgive me.”

The sounds of small footsteps walked into the room and a timid voice cleared her throat. “Sir, the Gold Room is ready for you and your Lady. If you’ll both come this way.”

Jacquelyn turned and glanced at Benny, her feet feeling as if someone had glued them to the floor.

 

[Tseranc]

He wanted to cry as he heard her speak, not for the message, but because it hurt her so much to say. A face that pretty should never hurt. But then the confession came. She had used magic that first night, and basically had him look like a fool in front of the judge. That part he had kinda figured out on his own, knowing himself and that he didn’t do such things. But hearing it confirmed stung.

He didn’t have time to respond as they were informed that he and his Lady’s room was ready. He stood up and moved away, and noticed how she hesitated to follow. Sighing he shook his head and resigned himself to the moment. He stepped back to her and bent down, scooping her into his arms and following Aggie up to the Gold room.

Once there, he set her down on the bed, and locked the door. “Looks like we have a problem. And you’ve got an extra one –I’m stubborn as hell.” He grabs a chair and flipped it around, sitting in it backwards, as he faced her. “First, we’re not leaving this room until we agree on where we stand with one and other. I’ll go first; I'm still into you. Pissed off as I am about the ticket thing, and the time travel, and that as we speak, or in a few hundred years, my house is invaded with witches doing heavens know what! Provided we live, I’ll get over it, eventually. Can you get over my uncertainty and that…incident? Can you stop accusing me of not caring, because if you tell me one more time that I don’t I’ll go nuts.” He raise his hand and shook his head, “No, I’ll never touch you in anger again, that never should have happened, it was…well it shouldn’t have happened. It won’t. But damnit stop pushing my buttons jus to drive me away – you might succeed; and it looks like that would be bad for both of us now.” He raised his left hand and spun the ring that wouldn’t come off with his thumb.

“Ok, that my peace. Yeah you’re spoiled, and I’m sorry I’m not the perfect mate your mom promised. I do my best, that’s all I have to offer. Will you try to make this work with me – without tricks this time?”

His face was twisted with hurt and anger, but his chest was tight from the deeper place all those smaller feelings had grown from. He hoped that the woman couldn’t make him actually fall in love with her; hoped that was his own dumb mistake.

He looked down at his ring, and chuckled, he'd been so worried about women leaving him, and now he was bound to one that couldn’t decide if she loved or hated him.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Looking back at Benny, Jacquelyn saw the wedding band and reached out to touch it. She didn’t try to pull it off, silently accepting their fate. “You’re everything I would want,” she whispered, licking her lips and tasting the saltiness of her tears.

“I am sorry I used the spells. I wanted out of the ticket and didn’t think how it would look to those around you, sometimes I think of others, like when I made up the cream for warts, I put in extra umph so the person using it enjoys a more vigorous sex life. That’s helpful. Then at other times, I simply take the easy way out. Our date. . .Benny it was wonderful. I only helped with the lighting and teaching you how to dance. I’ve never forced anything else.”

She pulled her hand back and laid it on her lap, toying with the ring that proclaimed them as mates. “We are married, or at least to my people we are. I know you care, I just figured it was better if we parted ways because I have really managed to fuck up your life.”

Taking a deep breath she took a chance on fate and stared back into Benny’s eyes. “Hitting me,” she frowned, “you hurt me Benny. I know you were provoked. . .and maybe I needed the shock of your actions to get my head back on straight, but yeah, never again.”

“Maybe Max can help me get my magic back,” she told him, “and then perhaps I can get us home. It doesn’t seem right that he can send us here, but can’t get us home. What kind of spell did he do?” She screwed up her face in a look of annoyance and then sighed, laid back on the bed, rolled over and screamed into the pillow. Once she was done, she popped up and smiled softly. “Friends?” she asked, extending her hand as a peace offering.

 

[Tseranc]

He couldn’t help but laugh at the scream and then the hand offering. “Yeah, I’m fairly certain we need to be at least friends if we’re married.” The idea they were somehow wed just because they slipped a ring on as part of a disguise bugged him, but then was it any more shocking then to be standing in 1605, or to have been seduced by a witch?

He shook her hand, and reluctantly let go. His eyes wanted more, as did his heart, but his mind was still pretty upset over the whole affair. “Well lets hope he can help out, either with your powers, or hell at least a bath and some clean clothes. He bugs me though. He knew himself so well that our crazy story was acceptable to him…has he done this before?”

Benny paced the room, trying to figure the other man out, but decided that wasn’t accomplishing anything but wearing down the rather nice rugs, so he stopped to look out the window as the sun began to set. A million things kept running through his head in no particular order; analyzing the last few days’ events. His life certainly had changed, and not just being plopped in the past.

Finally, with a heavy sigh, “You know, seducing a cop to get out of a speeding ticket really isn’t all that bad, in the grand scheme of things. I’d hate to guess what I’d do if I had all those powers. I’d probably abuse it and end up becoming someone neither of us liked very much.” He turned around from the window to face her. “So while I’m still not thrilled about it, I think you make a pretty great witch. I’m sure I’d have done much worse.”

His little exercise of trying to himself in her shoes did not bring results he was happy with, but he was a fair guy, and was thankful he didn’t have to grow up with the responsibilities she did.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

She smiled softly and then angled her head. “You’d make a fine warlock,” she winked. “As far as him doing this before. I agree. I have a feeling he has done this sort of thing. I just don’t understand why if it is his spell, he can’t undo it. It makes no sense. When I make a potion, I have a counter one, the same with spells. I can undo all of mine. Well, except . . .” she thought a moment and then her eyes grew wide, “Do you think that once I have my magic back I can undo the rings?”

Just as she said the words, her shoulders fell. “No, he said for life. . .Sorry.” Taking a deep breath she looked around the room and rose from the bed. “If I know Max, he’s used his magic to make life easier for himself. He has a closet in his room, where you simply reach in, think of what you want and the,” she opened a closet door, and looked back to Benny, “thing you want is there.”

A pair of black trousers and a white shirt with ruffled collars on the sleeves and at the neck were now held in Jacquelyn’s hand. She reached in with the other hand and produced a pair of black shoes and socks. “You’ll look quite dashing in this. I thought of dinner clothing and I guess since we are in this era, this is what is available with Max’s magic.”

Jacquelyn walked over and laid them on the bed for Benny, before reaching back into the magical storage room and bringing out a gown of ivory with black ribbons that outlined her breasts as well as wove itself around her hips. “This will do for me,” she said as a pair of matching slippers appeared in her other hand.

“Now a bath,” she whispered, almost to herself. Her gaze became one full of giddiness as she spotted the metal tub. “There it is. Pull that robe by the bed and a maid should appear and we can get her to fill the tubs with water. Perhaps if we share some of knowledge of the future with Max, running water and electricity he’ll be more willing to help me with my magic.”

 

[Tseranc]

Benny stood astonished as she pulled out the most perfect clothing for their situation from a seemingly empty wardrobe. Would he ever get used to seeing the impossible? He figured he’d have to eventually – forever is a long time.

Shaking his head he pulled on the indicated rope and a distant bell rang. Well be fore he could have expected someone, the maid entered, and she was told they needed water for a bath.

That at least should take a few moments; heating water was a constant throughout time and space. He was wrong. The maid came back, with help each carrying two buckets a piece, the steam rising from them warning of their temperature. When the last was poured and the servants left, Benny just laughed. “What the hell does he need with running water and electricity? Max has it all already!”

Wondering what else he might offer a devious witch that might be helpful, his thoughts were quickly derailed as she began to strip in preparation for the bath. Her small, but wonderfully proportioned body cleared his mind of anything useful. A man could do far worse, he thought to himself, then tried to glance around, and not stare like some stalker.

When Jacquelyn was naked of everything but the ring that would not depart, he offered his hand to her to aid her in getting in the now full tub. “I hope this magically hot water is safe,” he joked. Kind of.

“One thing I have to learn here and now is how not to irritate him further. Anything you can tell me about not ways to avoid more trouble?” He leaned over the tub, ready to give her anything she might need, such as soap, or an lustfully appreciative glance.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Jacquelyn smiled as her mate stared at her. She noticed his admiringly glance and she felt herself blush. She rolled the soap between her fingers, creating a lather as she spoke to Benny. Not once did she attempt to hide herself, deciding then and there that she was done taking things slow. Her mate had been chosen. How the gods and goddesses knew Benny was to be the one was beyond her, but they did or the rings would have slipped off easily.

“I think if you act polite,” she lifted her right leg and ran her soapy palms down them, “you’ll do fine.” She ran her fingers up to her knee and gently stroked the soap over her skin. “Mmm...” she moaned as her fingers began to slide up her thigh and she washed her skin. “This is wonderful,” she said, closing her eyes and leaning back as she submerged the soapy leg and let the water rinse away the suds.

She lifted her left leg high in the air and opened her eyes, doing her best not to look at Benny, fearful she would see him being polite and avoiding her display. “I think if you dote on him, though. . . act like he is the greatest man on earth, he’ll see right through you and that wouldn’t...” she soaped up her thigh, “do us any good, though I don’t know if he’d send us back twice?”

Her leg slid into the water and she began to treat her arms to the same tender scrubbing she had her legs. Just be yourself, Benny,” she told him as she finished her arms and then began to run the frothy cloth over the top of her chest and then down around her breasts. Her hand traveled down further and when she reached her sex, her fingers slipped around the soapy water and tangled with the red bush hidden from her husband’s eyes. Only then did she turn her face toward his and with a lifted brow she asked, “Do you think you can do that?”

 

[Tseranc]

He strained to focus on the words, and agreed with what he managed to absorb. But her display was almost mesmerizing. “Yeah…Yes.” He stammered. Busted.

He flushed red, knowing he’d been caught taking in her show. “Hey, what’s a husband to do but admire, right?” His face was on fire, and he didn’t even know why he was so embarrassed, which only made it worse. He forced a smile, and pressed on like nothing had happened, or at least tried. “Yeah, I can just be myself, but respectful toward him.”

Still his eyes always came back to taking in her body, both what lay exposed and what hidden promises were just beneath the water. It was still a shock to think of her as a wife, and that might have to be addressed in some ceremony when they got back, but for now he was more content then he would figure a man just told he was bound to a women he’d known only a few days forever.

“Jacquelyn, I don’t know much about this witch marriage thing with magic rings…but I promise to really try. Not sure what else I can promise, all hopes of going slow and taking things a step at a time are kinda long gone. Looks like we started at the finish line. Help me race to catch up?”

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

She reached out and touched Benny’s face. “I’ll do my best,” she told him, then stood up and stepped from the water. Another pull on the rope and a maid hurried into the room to empty the one tub and hurriedly refilled it.

Jacquelyn thought nothing of the maid seeing her nude, nor did the maid say anything or react in any way. It was not a servants place to question the guest of her Uncle, so when the maid left Jacquelyn was still very much naked and had no real urgency to get dressed.

Her body moved with grace as she turned to watch her husband. “Do you need help?” she asked Benny, as he began to disrobe. “I could wash your back,” she told him as she walked forward and then stopped. “I’ll get dressed afterwards, incase you get me wet.”

She wondered if he could see the mischief in her eyes. She was wet, but it was not the bath that she was speaking of.

 

[Tseranc]

Trying to hide how aroused he was by the suggestion, he pretended he wanted the bath as a practical mater. It would not do to meet their host sweaty from the day’s ride and stress.

He pulled the rope again and again almost instantly water was brought in; and again unless the man had a huge boiler room somewhere, that water was too hot to have been heated naturally in the short time. It was his turn to dip into the magically heated fluid, and he held his breath wondering if it was safe for mere mortals like himself. Just because Jackie had come out unscathed did not mean the same for him.

But he found the water to be perfect, and quickly set aside his doubts, and just slipped in up to his chin. Tubs were simply not this large back in the future…his time…whatever. He took a moment, eyes closed just letting the heat pull tension from his muscles. When he opened his eyes, they immediately locked onto the sight of his naked wife, and he felt his pulse quicken. He hoped the water was hot enough to cover how his face felt hotter. Damn it all if she was not the most stunning woman he’d ever seen. He grinning, inwardly smiling at how his ex had run off, so sure that her smile and body could get her so much more in California. She paled compared to Jacquelyn in every way, and yet Jackie was such a better person. At times she seemed almost unaware of how beautiful she really was.

“A good idea, this bath is just what I needed.” His smile this time was all for the short vixen with a matching ring on her finger that matched the one tuck on his.