Bound by Tentacle and Spell 2

-2-

Chapter 4

 

Much to Vespera’s surprise, the philter was sweet. It was a little thicker than water, but pleasant on the tongue. Her only disappointment was there was so little of it.

In truth, there was quite a bit of the philter left but Laris, the half-elf female warlock, had only allowed her a single dram.

“That’s all I get?”

“That’s all you need.”

Vespera looked down at herself. The tunic she wore did nothing to define her tits so she pulled the garment open to expose her flesh. She frowned expectantly at her chest.

“Nothing is happening,” she complained. “Do I need a bigger dose?”

Laris laughed at her servant. It wasn’t an insulting laugh; it was one of amusement.

“The effect isn’t immediate.”

“Why not? What good is magic if it can’t cause an immediate change in me?”

Laris considered her words carefully. “I could create a potion that would have an immediate change in your tits. It would be painful and it wouldn’t be anywhere near permanent. In the past I’ve sold a potion to one of the less-reputable bordellos in your neighborhood. They wanted one for a client who was desperate to nurse from his mistress but didn’t want his wife to find out. Mistress made a hell of a lot of milk. Client loved it. Wife never found out. Mistress said her swelling tits and spraying milk were more painful than giving birth—client gave her a bastard—and stopped fucking the client. The only ones who walked away happy were the bordello and me. The gold they paid me was worth my time.”

Vespera looked at her in shock. “That’s what’s going to happen to me?”

“No. Of course not. I’m going to slowly induce both your milk production and your tit size. You will enjoy it. I will enjoy it. Most importantly, Kharax Trelgrarach Bobyar will enjoy it.”

At the mention of the warlock’s patron, a shiver ran down Vespera’s spine.

“I don’t have any choice in this matter, do I?” asked Vespera. She had resigned herself to this new turn in her life. Oddly, she wasn’t bothered by it.

If anything, it was better than working in the brothel.

“You can always go back to the Red Ember Lounge,” Laris offered. “Of course, you weren’t exactly a whore there. You were a scullery maid, were you not?”

Vespera nodded in agreement. “Yes, ma’am.” She was ashamed of what she had been. She was somewhat ashamed of what she was doing now.

“Do you want to go back?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Do you want me to make your tits big and full of milk?”

It was an odd question to ask. Vespera had to carefully consider her answer. “I never would have asked for it, but if that’s what you need from me and it makes my life better…”

“Hmm.” Laris carefully studied the redhead’s face. After a moment, she nodded once, decisively, and announced. “Come. We are going to visit the city’s offices of power.”

“We are?”

“I need those of importance to know who you are.”

“Are they…ancient gods like Bobyar?”

Her question made Laris laugh. It was light and lilting, and pleasant to the ears. “No, no. They are both simple humans. Well, maybe not simple, but humans at least.”

Vespera was becoming accustomed to having the silver leash around her neck as they walked through the city. If anything, she was starting to like it. It was pleasant walking the uneven cobblestones of the city streets because now everyone parted for her. She knew it was actually Laris they made way for, but the effect was the same. Even those in carriages gave way to them. Even the city guards stepped aside.

Vespera wondered why Laris chose to walk through the city instead of using a horse-drawn conveyance or perhaps some magical means, but she didn’t voice her question. She knew better.

They weren’t stopped at the entrance to City Hall. The guards flanking the main entrance moved quickly to open the double doors for Laris, asking no questions, not meeting her eyes at all.

While Vespera knew all the rumors about the half-elf warlock’s extensive powers, she didn’t realize some of that power was political.

Laris knew her way through City Hall. Vespera had never been inside the building before. No one challenged them until they arrived at the mayor’s office. Even there the guard standing outside simply saluted and admitted them. It was the minor functionary, the assistant outside the mayor’s office proper that stopped them.

“Do you have an appointment?” the wheedling thin-boned man asked Laris.

“I don’t need one. Tell Mayor Greenleaf that Laris has arrived.”

It took the functionary a moment to register the name. His thin moustache seemed to droop.

“Right away,” he said, immediately obsequious.

He disappeared into the mayor’s office and Laris waited patiently. A moment later he reappeared and ushered them inside to meet the mayor.

Vespera knew nothing of city politics. She knew the king ruled over the land and the mayor was supposed to be in charge of the day-to-day enforcement of laws. The Red Ember was always skirting the edges of the laws, so she was aware of that, but the mayor was more of a concept or an idea, nothing tangible that could be touched or seen.

Mayor Ishbel Greenleaf was a beautiful woman. Short, but not nearly as short as Laris, her black hair was pulled back into a severe bun and she wore the suit common of important people in the city, though perhaps with slightly muted colors. The suit’s stitching was doing its best to keep the garment together, but either the mayor needed a better seamstress or needed to lose some of her generous curves.

Vespera was surprised when the small human woman hurried from behind her desk and greeted Laris by grasping both of the half-elf’s hands in her own and kissing her on both cheeks.

“Laris, my friend, it’s so wonderful to see you!” She kissed both of Laris’s cheeks again.

“Let me apologize,” Laris began.

“For what?” laughed the mayor.

Laris smiled and inclined her head to the side. “For sending a young rake out from my house and into the streets without any pants. He was…overwhelmed.”

Mayor Greenleaf shook her head. “Think nothing of it. If he’s been arrested, he’ll be released. It is a non-issue.”

“I’d also like to apologize for my tardiness.”

“Pish! Whenever you arrive you are always on time.”

The two women dropped hands and the mayor retreated back behind her impressively-sized desk while Laris dropped into the comfortable chair to face the other woman. Not knowing what else to do, Vespera stayed on her feet.

“I have a present for you,” said Laris, reaching into the satchel at her side and sliding a trio of silver vials across the desk.

Ishbel snatched up the vials but managed to constrain herself from immediately opening one. “Thank you. These are…appreciated.”

“No more than one a week,” said the warlock. “An overdose would be…unwelcome.”

“I’ll put them aside for later,” said the mayor, opening a drawer of her desk and dropping two of the vials inside, but retaining one in her hand.

Vespera recognized the look of an addict on her face. She had seen the same expression on many of the clients of the Red Ember looking for a fix to their desperate kink. She had seen the same look on many people in the taverns of the city before she and her sisters had found employment in the Red Ember.

“It’s fine,” said Laris. “Take it now. You need it.”

Ishbel gave her supposed friend an uncertain smile. She hesitated and then quickly uncorked the vial and dumped the contents down her throat.

The change in Ishbel was almost instantaneous. Her face and body deflated slightly, most of the unseemly fat—the sort of corpulence that would not be desired in the Red Ember—melting away. Her face pinked up and her eyes brightened. When Vespera entered the office she evaluated Mayor Greenleaf as a plain woman. A few seconds after downing Laris’s potion, she was a rather attractive woman who easily looked ten years younger.

She pulled a mirror from another drawer of her desk and admired herself. “I’ll never be a beauty, but this is more than enough to sway over a few of the counselors.”

“Once again I’ll caution you that long-term use of my potion will—”

The mayor interrupted. “And I’ll tell you again, I need it and I’m more than willing to accept any risk or consequences.”

Laris smiled and nodded. She rose from her chair. “Thank you for your time, Mayor.”

“But I haven’t paid you yet!” Once again the mayor rushed from behind her desk and accosted Laris.

“No payment other than your friendship is necessary,” said Laris as Ishbel grabbed her hands.

“I insist,” said the mayor and kissed the half-elf. It wasn’t the friendly kiss of greeting like when Laris had entered the office.

The kiss was one of passion shared between the two women. Vespera looked on in confusion as the kiss continued and the mayor pulled Laris tightly to her, not exactly groping the other woman, but letting her hands roam freely.

After a minute, Laris managed to disengage herself slightly from Ishbel’s embrace. “Perhaps you should give us a moment of privacy, Vespera,” said the warlock.

Ishbel’s eyes fell upon Vespera, as if noticing her for the first time. “Oh. Who is this?”

“My new…servant.”

Ishbel quickly evaluated Vespera who felt under extreme scrutiny. Once again, Ishbel had a familiar look, the same look of a Red Ember client seeking out companionship.

Before Ishbel could say anything, Laris spoke up. “I’m still training her. She’s not ready for…anything yet.”

“That’s…disappointing,” said Ishbel, looking like a wolf who had cornered easy prey.

“Why don’t you give us a few minutes in private, Vespera. Please wait in the antechamber with Mayor Ishbel’s functionary.”

Vespera was happy to be dismissed and took a seat on one of the comfortable couches in the outer room. The mayor’s assistant didn’t look up from his work. Not even a minute later, when the distinctive sounds of female passion started to penetrate the heavy doors.

When Vespera looked at the assistant, he didn’t lift his head from the paperwork that was apparently incredibly engrossing. Vespera started to say something, but then thought better of it.

Instead, she simply listened to the sounds coming from the mayor’s office.

The sounds were not all that different from what she would hear from the various rooms of the Red Ember. But it was much more highly arousing.

It was by different turns exciting and frustrating and annoying and provocative. Vespera wanted it to end. She wanted to join in. She wanted to walk away. She wanted to open her tunic and stuff her hand into her silk leggings and let the functionary watch as she abused her cunt.

Finally the noises stopped and a minute later Laris opened the office door and stepped outside. From her vantage point Vespera could see the mayor buttoning up her dress. Her face was flushed and the quick view of Ishbel’s body told Vespera that the mayor had enjoyed her short interlude with the warlock.

“Thank you for your time, Mikel,” Laris said to Ishbel’s assistant. Vespera was surprised her mistress knew the man’s name.

After Ishbel finished buttoning up, she came out of the office and quickly embraced Laris one last time before turning to Vespera. “I look forward to your return,” she said, looking the redhead up and down. “When you have…fully come into your own.”

Vespera was unaccustomed to being the object of anyone’s attention, especially of a sexual nature. She was glad when Laris exited the office. Vespera quickly followed.

 

 

Chapter 5

 

The journey to the king’s palace was short, city hall being practically adjacent to the most important building in the city. The silver leash appeared and disappeared in the space of less than a minute.

Once more, they were able to walk in, unchallenged, and move through the palace without difficulty until they arrived at a nondescript door. Most of the doors in the palace were either ornate and open, or clos