Heather chuckled as the funny argument raged on. It turned out that Gisley could summon a magical disk just like Blackbast could. She would flutter along on her beautiful wings, carrying all her loved ones with her. However, aside from a few pillows, their disk was just a disk and lacked creature comforts. When Jaina and the others saw the palanquin and the private bedroom it created, they were immediately jealous.
“I demand to be carried in comfort like they are,” Jaina said as she pouted on her rather plain magical disk. Roric looked at the plush palanquin that carried Blackbasts girls and let out a tired sigh.
“I seem to recall I am the master here?” he pointed out as Gisley giggled with a laugh so full of love and life Heather would have paid to hear it again.
“If you want your girls to ride like luggage, then so be it,” Jaina said and folded her arms as she sat on the edge of the disc. “I thought you valued us more than that.”
“I bought you a magic tent and filled it with all the comforts you will ever need,” Roric pointed out.
“They have a magic door that takes them home with a single step,” Jaina countered.
“Umm, if it matters to you two, it was Legeis who built our palanquin,” Heather said and pointed to the goblin standing in his armor, waiting for the confrontation to end. “Maybe he can build you one as well?”
“I guess I could,” Legeis said with a scratch at his ear. “But it takes some time. I would need to get to my workshop for a few things.”
“See, then we can ride on a bed full of pillows,” Jaina said with a pleased smile.
“You’re lucky I don’t make you walk,” Roric countered with an equally pleased smile.
“You wouldn’t dare,” Jaina said as Evalynn jumped in to get between them.
“I think what she meant to say was could she ride in the palanquin for a little bit?” Evalynn interjected.
“That isn't my decision,” Roric replied and looked to Blackbast. “That is up to you.”
Blackbast lay on her side on the back of Legeis's golem, wearing nothing but a black silk at her waist. She had three gold rings in one ear that now twitched as she looked at Heather and Quinny still perched on Frank's shoulder.
“I don’t see what harm that will do,” Blackbast said with a widening smile. “But why don’t you two ride with her and give poor Frank a rest.”
“But we’re happy up here,” Heather protested.
“I said get down and ride in the palanquin,” Blackbast commanded.
Heather growled and, just to show off, reached over to take Quinny's hand. Suddenly they vanished in a flash of green, only to reappear beside the palanquin.
“That was very neat,” Gisley said as she fluttered over. “How did you do that?”
“Devil powers,” Heather replied and pointed to the horns sticking out of her red hair.
“So you are some kind of devil,” Jaina said seductively. “Not a succubus, perhaps?”
“Lilithu,” Heather was quick to correct.
“Ha, you lost the bet,” Evalynn laughed. “You are paying up tonight.”
“Oh,” Jaina groaned and jumped down from the disc to join Heather. “Shall we climb in?”
Quinny was quick to jump aboard, and Heather followed, crowding Breanne, who moved to a back corner. Jaina crawled in and took a seat by the door before waiving to Roric to let him know she was settled.
“I think we can finally continue,” Roric said as he looked to Blackbast. “I apologize for the delay.”
Blackbast assured him it was no trouble, and Legeis quickly set the pace, racing down the road as Gisley fluttered along beside them the two magical discs carrying the rest of the companions.
“So this is how a princess travels,” Jaina said as she enjoyed the soft cushions. “I am so envious.”
“Honestly, it was just part of the disguise,” Heather said and explained how it fit the whole slave girl theme. Legeis and Frank acted as bodyguards, while the others were just slave girls.
“And no desire to actually be one?” Jaina asked.
“Well,” Heather began with a sigh. “I can't say I haven't thought about it, but until recently, I have only wanted to get the thing off.”
“What changed recently?” Jaina pressed.
“You did,” Heather replied and gave up, trying not to notice the woman was naked. “I have to admit you seem perfectly happy to be a slave.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Jaina laughed. “I have a master who dearly loves me and several sisters in the collar who would do anything for me. Who doesn’t want a life surrounded by people who love you?”
“But you’re property,” Heather insisted.
“Alright, I suppose we need to be honest about a few things,” Jaina said with a serious tone. “First, throw out all the negative connotations of the word slave. I know it's a horrible thing that should never happen to anyone, and it was still going on even before I came to New Eden. But here, the name is almost a completely different thing. Here a better description would be somebody who is loved so much their partner wants to possess them completely.”
“And he wants you to be naked?” Breanne interrupted.
“That's part of the fun,” Jaina replied. “I surrender to him, and he asks me to play the role, pushing my boundaries and keeping me in that mindset.”
“You can’t play your role with a dress on?” Breanne asked.
“Roric likes me to be naked,” Jaina replied as if the point was moot. “So I am naked. There is nothing more to say. It helps us to establish our roles and keeps the dynamic going. It's hard to explain unless you have a master pushing your boundaries, but there is a magic in obeying. It fills you with a tension and energy that drives your desires and keeps you in a perpetual state of thrill.”
“At least he lets you wear slave cuffs,” Quinny added and pulled at the ring by Jaina’s ankle.
“Honestly, Chandice gets more use out of that,” Jaina said.
“Speaking of her, why does Chandice get to wear clothes when you and Gisley are naked?” Heather asked.
“Oh, Chandice isn’t a slave,” Jaina said. “She’s my girlfriend.”
“Your girlfriend?” Heather and Breanne said in unison before Heather continued. “I know Roric said that earlier, but he made it sound different.”
“He made it sound like we were just good friends, where I make it sound intimate which it is. Is that a problem?” Jaina asked.
“No,” Heather replied and looked at her two friends. “I just didn't realize.”
“It's no big deal,” Jaina said with a toss of her hand. “I happen to like women, so Roric told me I could have a girlfriend. I already had a thing for Chandice, so it was a natural fit. Besides, she has a wild side that you would never guess.
“I can guess,” Quinny said with a wide smile.
“Of course, you can,” Jaina teased. “You got to experience it after all.”
“And let’s move on to another topic,” Heather interrupted.
Jaina looked confused until Quinny explained that Heather was a prude and sex talk made her uncomfortable.
“It does not,” Heather countered. “I just don’t see the need to talk about it so freely.”
“Why not?” Jaina asked. “Everybody does it, and it’s even more rampant in this world. You have no idea how much sex goes on in the palaces of the big cities.”
“I did try to tell you that before,” Breanne added. “Quinny has told you too.”
“I am more than aware,” Heather sighed and shook her head. “I am just more reserved than that. I have traditional values.”
“Is that why you’re getting married?” Jaina asked. “You want the whole wedding to mark your union properly?”
Heather wished that were true and decided to explain the whole situation. They wanted more magic doors, and Gwen would only provide them in exchange for some kind of social points. One of the ways she could get the points was by hosting a royal wedding, and she insisted that Heather and Frank marry.
“Oh, so you don’t want to marry him?” Jaina asked.
“No, that's just it. I do want to marry him,” Heather insisted. “I just didn't realize it at the time. It's hard to explain, but I have been kind of confused since coming to New Eden, and I needed time to straighten myself out.”
“Ah, you had translation shock,” Jaina said with a nod. “You must have come in before they instituted the programs to prepare people for the trip.”
“Yeah,” Heather said to agree with her and move the topic along.
“Hmm,” Jaina said and looked around the space before settling her eyes on Quinny. “Would you mind trading places with me?”
Quinny shrugged and got on her hands and knees so the two women could swap. Now Jaina sat right beside Breanne as Quinny and Heather rubbed together.
“There, I think that's much better,” Jaina said and then looked at Breanne. “Besides, I wanted to talk to you about your impending sale.”
“There isn't going to be a sale,” Breanne groaned. “I already told Blackbast I didn't want to be sold.”
“And you are so sure you won’t be happy?” Jaina asked.
“Not being sure is the problem,” Breanne countered. “I hardly know the man, and I am not going to let him lock a collar around my neck until I am sure I will be happy.”
“So the idea isn't off the table. You just need more time to make a decision,” Jaina said with a nod.
“That’s why we are going to ask him to come with us,” Heather said. “So they have time to get to know one another.”
“And if he turns out to be the sweetheart he seems to be?” Jaina asked and smiled at Breanne.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
“I don't know!” Breanne cried. “He certainly seems to be a good man, but I had my heart set on another.”
“His name is Skullman,” Quinny added.
“It isn’t Skullman,” Breanne quickly shouted and folded her arms. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“I think Skullman and Aulura had something going on,” Heather said as she thought back. “They came together and seemed to know what each other was thinking.”
“These are two people you know well?” Jaina asked.
“Breanne knows Skullman really well,” Quinny laughed.
“Oh, that kind of well,” Jaina replied and nudged Breanne.
“Will you all stop badgering me about this,” Breanne grumbled. “Blackbast was right, I understand commitment, and if I were to do something as foolish as allowing a slave master to collar me, it would have to be a man I completely trusted. Somebody I knew was as stable and reliable as the sun rising. He would have to be a hero who would always look after me and seek my heart.”
“Somebody is a romantic,” Jaina said and patted Breanne's leg. “But there is nothing wrong with that. I love how you put that, and it explains a lot of how you feel. Good on you for understanding yourself so well.”
“But you said you knew somebody like that,” Heather interjected.
“I do,” Breanne replied and looked away. “But he doesn’t belong to me.”
“Oh, he already has a woman in his life,” Jaina said sadly and put an arm around Breanne. “There will be other men like him.”
Breanne laughed and shook her head. “I have been alive long enough to have grandchildren your age. I have never seen a man like him in all that time. He is the most fearless and dependable person I have ever known, and he treats women like gold.”
“Sounds like a catch, to be sure,” Jaina said and looked across the palanquin to the other two. “So, could either of you stomach the idea of being sold?”
“I could,” Quinny said with a shrug. “So long as I got along with my new master.”
“You could just go off with somebody new?” Heather asked.
“What's the harm in it?” Quinny asked. “I think it's exciting to know you could be sold to anyone at any time. Besides, Blackbast has explained the collars. If your miserable or your master mistreats you, they fall off.”
“That's a very positive way of looking at it,” Jaina said. “You are a free-spirited person who likes to take risks.”
“I am wearing a disguise like Heather is,” Quinny said and looked very serious for a moment as she reached up and took the collar off. Suddenly her appearance was that of Quinny, the zombie, and Jaina looked closely with a smile.
“You’re still very pretty,” Jaina said.
“That's what I wanted,” Quinny said. “I liked the idea of being a zombie, but I wanted to be pretty enough that I could still play with the boys or girls.”
“I see,” Jaina replied and gave Heather a look of approval. “So, do you have a girlfriend?”
Heather froze as she heard the words and noticed Quinny glance her way before admitting that she did not. The smile on Jaina’s face was all she needed to know what the woman was thinking.
“What made you choose this life?” Breanne asked, changing the direction of the conversation to Heather’s relief.
“This is what I wanted,” Jaina replied as she leaned back and nestled into Breanne a little. “Roric and I knew each other in the real world. We met online while playing an adult MMO where he was the master, and I was his slave girl. We got along amazingly well and one day discovered we lived less than an hour apart. We started dating and playing for real when the visitors arrived. Once they made the offer to let people live out their fantasies in their created world, we jumped at the chance to have that MMO life for real.”
“But why a gnoll?” Heather asked.
“Why does anybody play a bestial class?” Jaina asked. “It’s in his blood to be something not human. It adds to his fun when he dominates his women and leads them on the leash.”
“Ha, a dog leading girls on a leash,” Quinny laughed.
“So you came in together to do this?” Heather asked.
“We sure did, and we have never been happier,” Jaina replied. “I am living a fantasy that could only have been imagined in the wildest of dreams. I sleep every night in the warm arms of my master and his slave girls, plus I have all the sex any woman could desire.”
“Aww, I feel left out,” Quinny moaned.
“You are welcome to join us any time,” Jaina replied. “Just get your master’s permission first.”
“She isn’t a slave either,” Breanne interjected.
“I understand you are all wearing the collar for the sake of your ruse, but I can tell she likes to play the game. To her, this all just good clean fun,” Jaina said.
Quinny smiled and glanced at Heather, who looked somewhat alarmed. She was even more alarmed when Quinny leaned into her a little, causing Jaina to smile.
“So, tell me about your husband-to-be?” Jaina asked. “What made you fall in love with him?
Heather did her best to describe Frank as the nicest guy she had ever met, but with a tragic past with women. He came to New Eden to escape them in many ways. His frightening ghoul appearance was meant to keep them at bay, so he wouldn’t have to deal with the complications of a relationship.
“And yet you saw through that,” Jaina said with an approving nod. “Good for you.”
“I didn't at first,” Heather admitted. “But he was such a good friend we stuck together, and I started to see the truth.”
“Ahh, the slow but relentless type,” Jaina surmised. “Hidden under that hard exterior is a rare gem you don’t notice until you have looked long enough.”
“That's an excellent way to put it,” Heather agreed. “But I had my issues about being here, and I sort of neglected him for a while.” She paused and looked at Quinny, who was staring out the door at Frank, who was running ahead with the others. She felt terrible about the situation, so she did the only thing she could and put an arm around Quinny.
“I did something else that was terrible,” Heather said as Quinny looked at her in surprise. “I told my best friend that I would get out of her way so she could have him, and then I couldn't give him up.”
Heather,” Quinny said in surprise. “I never complained about that.”
“You didn't have to,” Heather sighed. “I realized it a few days ago, and I have felt bad about it ever since.”
“Don’t feel bad,” Quinny insisted. “You and Frank were destined to be together. Everybody knows you two were a thing all the way back to the first graveyard.”
“Honestly, I am surprised it took this long to come out,” Breanne laughed.
“That’s because I am an idiot,” Heather groaned. “I get so absorbed in my own petty goals that I neglect everybody around me then get jealous when people notice.”
“You are not an idiot,” Quinny insisted as she turned in Heather's arms. “I think you’re one of the smartest people I know, and you have handled yourself amazingly well. I doubt I would have been able to handle even half of the stress you’re under.”
“You have proven to be good at solving impossible problems,” Breanne agreed.
“You rescued me, the goblins, Gwen, and a bunch of others,” Quinny said. “You invited Breanne to live with us so she could have a good home. You shared all that gold so that we could buy points to be happy. You always go out of your way to help people, even when you're the one who has the most to lose.”
“Not to mention she tried to battle a sand demon alone to save us,” Breanne added.
“Yeah, and you solved that puzzle door and the magic elevator. You figured out how to make golems. And even how to take over other player's bases,” Quinny piled on.
“Let’s not forget she discovered how those magic mirrors worked,” Breanne said. “And she defeated Maline’s dungeon while all the other players were gunning for her.”
“Sounds like quite a list of accomplishments,” Jaina said.
“Heather is amazing,” Quinny replied. “You should have seen how good she did in that dungeon. She made everybody else look stupid by comparison.”
“Oh, stop it,” Heather cried and pulled Quinny into her arms. “You make me sound like a saint.”
“A devil saint,” Jaina laughed as she watched Quinny smile to be in Heather’s arms.
“It's just a matter of fact,” Breanne said. “You never once accepted how hero players treat monsters, and you were willing to risk your own safety to challenge it time and time again.”
“I knew there was a good reason to like you,” Jaina said with a pleased smile.
“Let’s talk about something else,” Heather suggested as she hugged Quinny tightly.
“Well, I know something I would like to talk about,” Jaina said and pointed to the window in the back. “Is that your magic door?”
“It is,” Heather replied and glanced back at it. “It connects to a magic room, inside of which is a portal to our lairs.”
“Would it be too much to ask if I could see it?” Jaina asked.
“I,” Heather began as she thought of Umtha and her Bone champion, who were in that magical room as they spoke. She tried to think of how she would explain their presence, then remembered Jaina already knew some of it. She had already been told they were carrying a goblin artifact, so the egg and Umtha could easily be explained. Her bone champion could be an NPC guard from her recluse class, but they already knew she was a lilithu devil flower singer. How would she explain having three classes without admitting she was a chosen?
“She is thinking again,” Jaina said as she nudged Breanne. “Her husband says this is her curse and blessing.”
“Her brilliant mind is her best asset,” Breanne agreed. “We wouldn’t be here without it.”
Jaina nodded and noticed a fury leg curl over the side of the window as Webster crawled in from above.
“Oh, hello,” Jaina said with a smile.
“That’s Heather’s familiar,” Breanne said. “His name is Webster.”
“Oh,” Jaina replied with a nod. “So you’re her personal friend.”
He dropped to the floor and bobbed in a yes while making a shrill little nose.
“I have to say I am not a big fan of spiders, but he's adorable,” Jaina said and leaned over. “He looks so cute with all those eyes.” She reached out to pet him, and he curled into a ball as she stroked his furry back.
“You're not afraid of spiders?” Heather asked.
“Of course I am,” Jaina laughed. “But I can tell this little guy is nothing but friendly. Can I pick him up?”
“Be my guest,” Heather said and was amazed to see Jaina pluck him right off the floor and cradle him in her lap. Webster behaved like a cat, tapping his feet as if getting more comfortable before settling in with a twist.
“Oh, goodness, he's purring,” Jaina laughed.
“He thinks he's a cat,” Heather replied as she pondered the idea of showing Jaina the door some more. “I suppose there is no harm in showing you our home. But I have to warn you about a few things.” She then explained, Umtha, the egg, and said the bone champion was one of Frank's minions, set to guard the magic room. Jaina assured her she wouldn't be alarmed by what she saw, so Heather had to dislodge Quinny and crawl through.
One by one, they entered the magic room to find Umtha and three goblins standing around the egg as one of them cast a spell over it.
“So this is the artifact,” Jaina said as she looked at the egg as close as Umtha would let her. She held Webster to her stomach with both hands, her breasts resting on his back.
“No touch egg,” Umtha insisted as Jaina shrugged and walked around to an open door on the wall.
“This is the doorway to our lair,” Heather said as she stepped through.
“This is a magic door?” Jaina asked as she reached her hand through. “I would swear it was just any other door in a hall.”
“That's how we want it to appear,” Heather said as they all came through into the room hidden inside the mountain. A magic word opened the door, and all four women spilled out into the halls of Heather's lair.
“This is impressive, Jaina said as she looked about. “So your lair is literally just a few steps away no matter where you are?”
“And we have a second portal that takes us to Gwen’s city hidden in the garden,” Heather said.
“So you could go visit your mother any time you want,” Jaina laughed. “Roric really needs to get some of these doors.”
“They are purchased with points as part of a city builders kit,” Heather said as they arrived in the kitchen, and Quinny ran for the fridge.
“Don’t you dare eat all the cookies!” Heather scolded as Quinny pulled out the plate and held it out so everyone could take some.
“You have an unlimited supply of cookies?” Jaina asked.
“No, it runs out and doesn’t refresh until the morning, but somebody always tries to eat them all,” Heather said and glared at Quinny.
“What? I like cookies,” Quinny said with a shrug as she took four more.
“Shouldn't you be eating brains or something?” Heather grumbled and then took a bite of her cookie before leading them down a long hall and eventually out to the balcony.
Jaina stood at the rail high above an expansive graveyard with a misty swamp far in the distance. A waterfall rumbled to her right as cold mist occasionally splashed at her skin. Further to the right was a stone bridge going over the stream made by the falls, and just beyond it was a dark and mysterious forest. The whole place was crawling with undead and grave mist like a scene from a Halloween movie.
“This is amazing,” Jaina said as she looked in every direction while still holding Webster. “You all live here?”
“In various parts of it,” Heather said. “The forest belongs to Quinny, and Breanne haunts the swamp.”
“Two different goblin tribes live in the mountains, but they all like Heather,” Quinny added.
“I can see you are surrounded by mountains,” Jaina replied as she squinted to see them fade away in the distance. “Is there any room in them for a camp?”
“What kind of camp?” Heather asked.
“Roric has been searching for a good place to build his camp,” Jaina explained. “We tried putting it close to a major city, but players kept coming by to raid it, and it caused nothing but trouble. So now he wants something more secluded and hidden.”
“I bet Gwen would be ok with that,” Quinny said and then looked at Breanne. “Grumosh might like it too.”
“Will you please not talk about him,” Breanne groaned. “I don’t need to be reminded.”
“Touchy,” Quinny laughed and came to the railing to point out how Breanne had a maze of islands in the swamp.
“Can we go down and see it?” Jaina asked as she leaned over the railing. “I want to see the graveyard and the swamp.”
Heather agreed and took her down the floors through her guardians and minions until they came out the large double gates onto the road that separated her tower from the graveyard. They waded into the mist as zombies and skeletons took notice, but none dared approach Heather as they recognized their master. Heather explained the layout and how Frank had grand plans for an even bigger graveyard. She also explained the lower two levels and how you could get lost down their days if you weren't careful.
“Very impressive,” Jaina said as they finally reached the water's edge and the stone causeway that went to a large island.
“From here, this is all Breanne's,” Heather explained and led the way across the bridge. They arrived at the large island, complete with Breanne's massive mausoleum. Jaina thought the gardens around it were particularly pretty, then spotted the boats tied next to a tree.
“You use boats?” she asked.
“I don't because I can fly,” Breanne replied. “But the others need them from time to time. The nearby goblin tribe has giant water spiders that can run on the surface that they use for mounts.”
“Ha, I bet that has to be terrifying to behold,” Jaina said and went to the boats. “Is there anything to see in the deeper swamp?”
“Just a few small islands,” Breanne admitted, then tapped her chin. “Though there is that haunted house.”
“A haunted house?” Jaina asked with a tilted head.
“Well, I say haunted because we don’t really know what it is,” Breanne replied.
“It looks like a player home,” Quinny said and then described how it changed locations and when Heather threatened to set it on fire, it ran into the swamp.
“It ran?” Jaina asked with a confused expression.
“It sort of melted and flowed away,” Heather said with a shrug. “I don’t know how else to explain it.”
“I think it's a mimic, but Frank says it's too big to be one,” Quinny said.
“I want to see it,” Jaina said excitedly. “Please, can we go?”
“I don't even know if it's still there,” Heather replied and looked at Breanne.
“I haven't checked since the night it ran away,” Breanne admitted. “But it won't take long to get there.”
Heather agreed, and they loaded into the boat, with Quinny using her zombie strength at the pole to push it along. It was a smooth ride through the mists as Jaina spotted a willowisp, and Breanne explained what they did and how to avoid them. Eventually, the mist parted, and the far shore to the road appeared and to everyone's surprise, so did the house.
“It's still there,” Heather said as they headed for the shore.
Quinny guided them in, and Breanne stepped out first, followed by Jiana, still carrying Webster. Heather helped Quinny out, and the two followed behind, holding hands as the group approached the mysterious house.
“Be careful around this place,” Breanne said to Jaina as they got closer. “We saw shapes moving around it the last time we were here but could never catch them.”
“I do not doubt that you did,” Jaina said as she looked down at Webster. “Sorry, buddy, I know you're enjoying the ride, but I need to put you down.” Webster chirped as she set him down and then walked boldly toward the house that seemed as empty as always.
“Jaina, don't get too close,” Heather urged, but Jaina walked nearly up to the porch.
“You can stop the charade now,” Jaina said loudly. “I know what you are.” Nothing happened for a long moment, so Jaina shook her head, and suddenly her form melted.
“What happened?” Heather said in alarm.
“Jaina is a morphic,” Quinny reminded. “I think she’s changing shapes.”
They watched as Jaina became a roughly humanoid mass of gray ooze, and she spoke with a gurgling tone.
“Show yourself, or I will try to absorb you,” she said.
Suddenly the wall along the front porch shifted, and to everyone's surprise but Jaina's, a woman's face appeared.
“Why are you ratting me out?” the woman asked angrily. “Would you like it if I gave you away?”
“What the heck?” Heather said as she looked at Quinny and Breanne.
Jaina turned about as her form solidified, and she was her human self again.
“This,” Jaina said as she pointed to the house. “Is what I will eventually evolve into.”
“A house?” Heather asked in confusion.
“That’s not a house,” Jaina laughed and turned back to face the woman. “That is a player mimic.”