Dungeon Mistress: Session 3 (Patreon)

Email traffic after the last session was a lot more significant, this time.

It started almost immediately, when Monica sent an email the day after our session.

---

Subj: Decision for next session

Greetings, intrepid heroes!

Having licked your wounds and gotten Meldrin back in fighting shape, you all are ready to prepare to get your revenge upon the Night Queen. Or to try, at least.

That's going to mean showing up with more strength than previously, and that means allies. And thanks to Cedwin's persuasive work with the Daughter of Blades, she seems amenable to joining the fight. But you know that the Daughter alone won't be enough. You'll need more than her and the Hemlock Sisterhood by your side.

Two other options present themselves:

• The tribe of forest dryads that Enna parlayed with on your first trip into the Night Queen's lands were friendly enough towards you, and certainly seemed to loathe the Night Queen. They could be mobilized as powerful allies, if you'd like to go visit them.

• The Sanctum of Arcanatrix Ravenna, Meldrin's old rival, also borders the Night Queen's domain. As you all well-recall, she isn't a friend, exactly -- but you know she loathes the Night Queen. Perhaps the enemy of your enemy is your friend?

I need to know the party consensus on which of these potential allies to pursue first. Of course, you'll want to visit both eventually, but I need to know where to focus next session.

Your Dungeon Mistress,

Monica

---

By the time I had finished reading it, Mike had already replied.

---

WE SHOULD GO TO THE ARCANATRIX'S SANCTUM. WE'VE GOT UNFINISHED BUSINESS THERE. MELDRIN'S BACK, BABY!

-M

---

This kicked off an argument -- Liz and Erin on one side, and Mike on the other -- that went ten or twelve replies deep. Evidently things had gone very, very badly the last time they tangled with Arcanatrix Ravenna. Apparently when they'd gone to her tower, Enna's pet wolf had ended up disintegrated, or something? Lucia had spent a brief period of time polymorphed into a pigeon? And then, to their dismay, Meldrin had somehow been persuaded that it wasn't a big deal. The details were unclear to me, but the back-and-forth over the Arcanatrix was rapid fire and incredibly heated.

But I stopped following their exchanges closely after that...because I got another email.

It was from the same throw-away email account that had sent that email right after the end of the last session. The one about Cedwin's 'tower'.

And, like that email, this was sent to only me.

---

Subj: Forest dryads

Weigh in and say you want to visit the dryads first. If you don't, then the next time Cedwin ends up touching my character -- and we both know he will, the way Monica runs things -- I'm going to make a big scene and ruin the game.

You won't like the Arcanatrix's Sanctum anyway, Mike is gonna be weird about it. Maybe we can figure out a way for Meldrin to be unconscious again for that session.

---

I blinked, slowly, reading it. Was I really getting blackmailed by one of my friends in order to...change the direction our role-playing game went in?

At least this meant it presumably wasn't Monica, who could've just declared that she was prepping for us to go to the dryads. And I doubted Mike, an extremely straight guy, had sent me that first email about Cedwin's tower anyway. So that just left Liz or Erin, extorting me into swaying the party vote in their favor.

I paused.

Unless it was Monica, using this as an opportunity to make me think it was Liz or Erin...

I shook my head, trying to keep myself from spiraling.

I didn't care much about what we did next anyway; it sounded like we'd do both eventually. I dropped a note into the thread saying I thought we should go to the dryads, that if the if things had gone badly the last time, it would probably be easier to convince the Arcanatrix to help us if we already had other allies already in hand. With three party members against one, Mike acquiesced. Grumpily.

My phone pinged a moment later with another note from the unknown sender.

---

Re: Subj: Forest dryads 

Good job. Maybe I'll give Cedwin's tower a reward next session...

 Also, now I know you're reading these. Hi there.

---

I waffled on whether or not to reply to...well, whoever this was. I was tempted not to. But I decided to play ball.

I kept my reply simple: Who is this?

The response, a moment later, was equally straightforward.

---

Don't worry about it. See you -- and that tower I like so much -- next session.

-your secret admirer

---

My secret admirer?

I didn't know how to respond to that. So I didn't.

Things were quiet again until a few days before our session, when Monica's more typical pre-session email came through.

---

Subj: This week's session

Greetings, intrepid heroes!

You've decided to visit the forest dryads and persuade them to your cause! A few notes:

• As a reminder, we agreed on a Saturday afternoon session this time around. Show up on the right day, and don't be late!

• Please come in costume, but bring a swimsuit! My apartment's rooftop pool and hot tub area just opened for the season, the weather's nice, and it's early enough in the season that it won't be too crowded. I've got a river scene in mind if you all convince the dryads to be helpful.

• Chris, show up early; I'll have your costume ready again.

• Erin, please show up early also, if you can. I'm done making adjustments to the dress you wore last time, so you can wear it this time. I think you'll like it!

Your Dungeon Mistress,

Monica

---

Swimsuits? Well, my imagination ran wild with that.

The next day, I got another email.

---

Subj: Another thing for the session 

You've got a little present in the mail for next session that should arrive today. Bring it. Wear it. I want to see Cedwin in it.

And just to be clear, if you don't wear the present I'm sending you...well, I won't like it.

-your secret admirer

--- 

Well, I didn't know what to make of that. But sure enough, later that day a package arrived, addressed to me. I hesitated a moment before opening it, staring at the contents.

It was a pair of black swim trunks.

They weren't a speedo, exactly. More like...briefs. They were cut shorter and tighter than the board shorts I'd ordinarily wear. I pulled them on and stood in front of the mirror, staring at the way they...well, put me on display. Even soft, there was a prominent bulge.

If I got erect in these, there would be no hiding it. Which I supposed was the point.

---

I decided to bring both the skimpy swim briefs, and my more normal board shorts. I could decide which to wear based on how I felt, how things were going.

I it dawned on me just how complicated this session was going to be.

There was Monica, who clearly enjoyed teasing and playing with me.

And Liz and Erin, both of whom certainly didn't seem to mind a little physical, sexually-charged contact with their roleplaying.

Mike was joining for the first time, and while I didn't know exactly what Monica had been doing with him, it was easy to imagine that he'd been getting a similar treatment to what I'd been getting.

On top of all that -- one of them, probably Liz or Erin, was clearly both flirting with and blackmailing me via email.

The lack of clear boundaries, the confusing deceptions between me and my friends, it all should've bothered me. Not to mention the fact that Monica wasn't just toying with me, she was toying with us. I should've found the entire situation fucked up.

But mostly, I was excited by it. The last session had included the hottest -- albeit, also the briefest -- sex of my life. I wondered what Monica would be dressed as; what Erin and Liz were bringing for swimsuits; what the hell this 'secret admirer' was going to do.

So, with trepidation, feeling guilty but mostly excited, I headed over to Monica's place early, just like she'd asked.

---

Monica opened the door. "Hi, Chris. Come on in. Erin's already here."

The last time I showed up, Monica had still been getting ready.

This time, she was in costume. And the transformation was dramatic. I did a double-take.

Green fabric wound its way up her body, starting just above her knees. The effect it gave was something like vines or twisting branches, wrapping around her, twining up her legs to her torso. Strategically placed, overlapping leaves of fabric covered the essentials, extending from thigh to just below her belly button, and across her breasts. But even there, glimpses of skin peeked through, suggesting what the vines and leaves covered -- the full, round curve of a breast, pale smooth inner thigh, and more.

Her eyes were green, now. It was a startling, unnatural, mint-green -- presumably the result of cosmetic contact lenses. And she was wearing another wig -- her hair, instead of her natural black, or the blonde of the Daughter of Blades, was now a pale, silvery white, like the bark of an aspen tree. Her lips -- curving into a smile -- were painted with a glossy red lipstick, so fiery that it was almost orange.

The overall effect was arresting. Her pale skin, the white hair, the bright green eyes, the bright lips, all combined to transform her with an alien beauty.

Except for the knowing grin that slowly formed on her face as I stared, silently at her. That was all-too-familiar.

I blushed. "I, uh...hi, Monica."

Her smile turned sly. "I wondered what you'd think of this one." She was whispering -- maybe so that Erin couldn't overhear her. "I mean, you couldn't contain your excitement over the Daughter of Blades..."

I reddened.

I remembered what it had felt like to have her underneath me. The scene had replayed itself in my mind dozens of times since our last session.

The way I had thrust into her, how impossibly overwhelming she'd felt around me.

I was getting hard now, reliving it in my mind.

"It'll be interesting to see how it goes for Cedwin when he meets the dryads." As I watched, she ran one one finger over her body, lazily tracing down her shoulder, in along the swell of her breasts, along the edges of the leaves that formed the neckline of the dress.

"Hi, Chris!" Erin called from further inside the apartment, cheerily. "Remember to bring your swimsuit?"

"H-hey, Erin...yeah...I didn't even realize Monica's apartment had a pool..." I mumbled the words out.

"I know, right? She's always got a surprise up her sleeve!" Erin was all exuberant agreement.

Monica, silent, blew me a kiss. My gaze was locked on that alluring orange-red of her mouth, the way her lips moved. Then she turned to walk inside.

I adjusted myself in my jeans and followed her.

---

"God, Monica, that must've taken you like, an hour to get on. Is it sewn around your body? I don't understand how everything stays in place..." Erin was staring -- with what seemed to me to be a combination of disbelief and envy -- at the way that Monica's outfit hugged her assets. To be fair, I was staring too, just with different emotions.

Monica glanced up at Erin from where she was finishing applying a temporary tattoo of the Tower to my arm. "Yeah, there are a bunch of tricks to it. Okay, Chris, you're all set. Your costume is in my bedroom; why don't you go get into your outfit and I can show Erin the changes I made to her dress in the bathroom."

I nodded. "Okay, see you guys in a bit." I headed into the bedroom to change.

My outfit was set out on the bed, just like last session. Tight leather breeches, loose tunic. The only difference was that the crescent moon pendant -- set neatly on top of the the folded clothes -- had a little notecard underneath it, on which ornate, sweeping script read as follows:

Cedwin,

I am pleased with the way you've ingratiated yourself to these adventurers. The betrayal they feel when you reveal that you serve me will be utterly crushing. I am rewarding your loyalty with a new boon.

Simply touch my pendant to the skin of any light-dwelling tree-lover, and they will become charmed by you, will thoughtlessly do your bidding. My dark influence is especially effective against their weak, guileless woodlands minds. I'm sure you'll find exquisite uses for it.

Your Dark Mistress

P.S. Druids are certainly guileless light-dwellers, too. You might wish to see how it works on Enna.

Is...that what I was doing? Ingratiating myself, only to turn on my friends? It felt a little like siding with Monica, over them.

And I wasn't sure what that postscript implied. Had Monica...told Erin how to respond if I touched her with the pendant? What would she have said?

I spent a long time staring at the note before stripping my clothes off and pulling on Cedwin's outfit.

As a result, I was only just finishing dressing, putting that pendant around my neck when there was a knock at the door.

"Chris? Are you decent?" It was Erin's voice.

"Yeah, c'mon in..." I hastily fumbled the notecard into the pocket of my jeans and folded them on the bed.

"I still can't get over the outfit Monica came up with for you," Erin giggled. "You look so swashbuckling."

I turned, a joke on the tip of my tongue about Enna wanting to buckle Cedwin's swash.

I never made the joke. I was staring at Erin instead. She had already looked great in the brown dress she'd worn last time.

But Monica had made some significant alterations to it.

The scoop neckline that the dress had initially was the same...except in the center, she had removed a triangular section of fabric. The neckline now dipped between the swell of her breasts, revealing the soft, freckled curves of her cleavage.

At Erin's waist, there was just...well. A lot less dress. Monica had removed fabric, exposing a the skin of her trim waist, accentuating the way her hips flared out from it.

And down at the bottom, she'd added a slit that went all the way up, exposing one of Erin's long legs.

Before, the dress had simply highlighted Erin's figure. Now, it was extremely revealing.

Erin was wryly watching me give her the up-down. "What do you think?"

"Uh...pretty different from what you used to wear to my sessions, huh?" I tried not to say the words bitterly. I was feeling a now-familiar surge of jealousy. Years of me having an unrequited crush on Erin, but Monica has her playing sexy-dress-up in just a few months of sessions?

"C'mon, seriously. Monica changed it a lot, I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it does seem like something Enna would wear..." Erin looked self-conscious, I realized.

I pulled myself together and cracked a smile. "You look great. Although it certainly looks like Enna will be a lot colder while we're traveling."

She slapped my arm playfully, laughing. "Shut up, Chris. Cedwin here has so much upper chest showing he'd catch the flu the first time the temperature dropped below 50. C'mon, Liz and Mike both just got here."

It was impossible not to wonder if Erin was the unknown sender who had been sending those emails. But she seemed...just like her usual herself.

Liz was in her Lucia outfit from last session, and grinned at me when I followed Monica out of the bedroom. "Bring your suit? I tried to bring one I thought Lucia would wear..." She held up her hand, a black monokini dangling from it.

I stared at it. It did not look like sufficient fabric for a human body.

Erin pouted. "That's so smart! I just brought my favorite bikini, I didn't think about what Enna would wear at all..."

I swallowed, hard -- and not just at the thought of what Liz's butt would look like in that bathing suit. Was Liz the one sending the emails, with all the talk of swimsuits?

But my train of thought was interrupted by Mike sidestepping around her and giving me a bro-fist. "Dude! Finally we get to play together! And hey, Monica, what gives? You helped him with a way more badass costume than mine. How come he gets to look that good, but I look like Gandalf's younger, less dapper brother?"

Mike's was wearing grey robes, belted at the waist, and had an honest-to-god floppy, wide-brimmed, pointy wizard's hat on. He had always been short and stocky to my lanky leanness -- and the voluminous robes weren't doing him any favors. But the hat had some cool sigils woven into it with gold thread, and so did the robe at the lapels and belt.

He didn't look bad, exactly. He just looked like...well, a portly wizard.

Monica looked serious. "You're right, Mike. What a serious oversight on my part. Chris, remind me what Cedwin's charisma is, again?"

"Uh...19, I think?"

She turned to Mike. "And what's Meldrin's?"

He let out a good-humored laugh, waving a hand in acquiescence. "Okay, I get it, I get it, Charisma as a dump stat has consequences."

Monica nodded, smug. "Now. Drinks for everyone and we'll get started?"

We chattered with each other, getting caught up as we started setting up at the table.

---

"The dryads live in the deep forests that cover the western border of the Night Queen's kingdom, only accessible by several weeks of hard trekking along game trails. The trees are dense, crowded, and it's slow going. This isn't by accident. While not warlike, the dryads have been resisting the Night Queen's encroaching power for years, and it is by their will that the woods they live in are now an impassable, overgrown tangle. By the time you arrive at the edges of the meadows where the dryads live, you're all exhaust--yes, Erin?" Monica trailed off, a little irritated at the interruption to her opening monologue.

Erin had raised her hand about halfway through this speech, and was practically vibrating with enthusiasm. "I have a class feature that lets me navigate through difficult terrain caused by plants with no penalties to my movement. Can I like, lead the party, scout ahead, and so on to make our progress less taxing?"

Monica considered, then nodded. "I had forgotten about that. Yeah, okay. The party would've arrived exhausted, but with Enna's leadership, the unfamiliar, difficult terrain becomes at least somewhat more navigable. It still takes a long time -- precious time during which the Night Queen is undoubtedly rallying her own forces and allies -- but the party is not exhausted when they arrive, so no penalties to checks or anything."

Erin pumped her first triumphantly.

Monica had us make a few rolls to see if anything else came up during traveling, but nothing major did.

Monica steepled her fingers. "Okay. You arrive to the familiar sight of the vast meadows the dryads dwell in -- well, familiar to all except Cedwin. The dense undergrowth abruptly gives way to tall grasses, open spaces dappled with flowers and sunlight. It is as you remember -- beautiful tree-spirits, wild and free, unencumbered by the burdens of civilization. There are perhaps a few dozen of them. Some frolic; others collect flowers, weaving them into crowns; still others are petting or speaking quietly with some of the animals that roam freely about the meadow. The sounds: quiet laughter, murmurs of conversation, small animal noises. All of them take note of your approach, but don't engage with you -- except for the one you recall as their leader, Diphylla. She rises from where she has been petting a baby fawn, and walks up to you all."

"A baby fawn," Erin whispered, delighted.

Liz snorted.

Monica rose smoothly to her feet, and bowed low -- a movement that did interesting things to her body, under that dress of vines. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Mike also staring at Monica.

"Greetings, travelers. You return to us. The forest has brought word of your travels -- we heard of your capture at the hands of the Night Queen. We grieved your misfortune. It is good to see you here. Good to see you free." Monica paused, and moved over to Enna. "Especially you, Enna. I hope your roots have only grown deeper since we last spoke."

The voice Monica was using for Diphylla was bright and happy. Monica pulled Erin to her feet and embraced her, kissing her cheek-to-cheek.

Erin giggled. "You smell good! Did you get special perfume for Diphylla?" Then her voice shifted, roleplaying Enna. "It's good to see you too, forest sister."

Monica pulled away, orange-red mouth curved into a beaming smile as she gazed at Erin, then glanced at me. "But...who is your new companion? Welcome, stranger..."

"I am Cedwin, Diphylla. A paladin of the Tower."

Her smile faded. "The Tower? But...I can sense the Night Queen's presence about you..." Monica glanced uncertainly from me to Erin.

Erin, in Enna's slightly breathless tones, said "Yes, he used to serve her, Diphylla. But no longer. He helped us escape." Her voice shifted to normal. "Also, Enna has picked up the baby fawn and is petting it."

Monica ignored the baby fawn comment, but paused, then nodded, as if Diphylla was a little dubious. "Well, if you vouch for him. But he'll need to undergo the welcoming rite that you all did last time, so I know that his intentions are true."

"Welcoming rite?"

"It lets her divine your heart, to see if it is pure," Mike whispered to me. He had an odd, thin, reedy voice he was using for Meldrin. "Don't worry, it's kind of fun."

"Come with me, Cedwin. This will take but a moment." Monica -- bright green eyes staring into mine -- pulled me into her bedroom.

---

"She leads you to a secluded grove of trees. A simple altar and some benches -- assembled from what is clearly fallen wood -- are arranged here." Monica gestured for me to sit next to her on the bed, and I did.

"You must have spent a long time in the Night Queen's presence, paladin. Her dark aura lingers about you. It is...unpleasant." Monica wrinkled her nose, using Diphylla's simple voice.

"I, uh, have, yes..." I was hesitating, unsure. Should I just use the pendant? I assumed this ceremony would likely reveal that my intentions were not pure. The Night Queen was still in my head.

Monica's closeness was distracting, those alien eyes staring up at me. She smelled good, too, like Erin had said. Some kind of floral perfume, part of the costume, that did indeed remind me of meadows of flowers.

"Now, this will be quick. Some even find it pleasurable. Your companion Meldrin certainly did..." she reached out, and ran her hands softly up my arms, over my shoulders, up to my neck. "I think he's a bit...touch-starved."

I snorted at that. I'll admit, I was finding her portrayal of this dryad convincing. The way she'd transformed her appearance, it was easy to forget it was Monica. And she was playing the part of the dryad well -- there was none of the intoxicating sensuality to her touch that she'd used with the Night Queen, just a kind of gentle warmth.

It was, as Mike had said, nice.

"Mmm, you have strength about you, paladin...but..." She frowned. "Her influence still rests upon you. I can't quite pinpoint it, not here..." Her hands moved to my temples.

"Or here...in spite of the pendant you wear." Her mouth twisted in distance, but her hand rested on my chest gently enough.

"No, the source is...lower..." Her palms ran slowly down my sides.

"I labored in her service for many years," I said, using Cedwin's voice. "It does not surprise me that you can still feel her presence about me."

But Diphylla shook her head, those bright-orange lips pursed. "No...I would expect her aura to linger, but what I'm sensing would mean she still holds some influence on your actions. I must find its source..." Her hands drifted over the outside of my thighs, down to my knees...and then started back up.

I waited, uncertain. I had expected to get...well, the usual treatment. Teased. But this was just...roleplaying with a bit more touching. I was half-tempted just to touch the pendant to Monica, but I wanted to see how this played out first.

Her hands crept up the inside of my thighs, getting closer, closer...and then, finally, one of her hands came to rest, palm on my balls and fingers wrapping around the base of my cock through the breeches.

Immediately, Diphylla's eyes narrowed. "I see the truth, now. You have devoted yourself to her, spilled your seed for her," she hissed. "You are hers to command. She is your Mistress."

I simultaneously winced and blushed. "H-hey, no, wait a sec, that's not -- it didn't --"

 "Do your companions know?" Her gaze was steady, unblinking, those bright eyes boring into mine. "They don't, do they? Their hearts are true. You are a viper in their midst. You are the beetle plague, withering the great oak from within. Unseen, but the heartwood is already eaten, rotting..." Her volume was rising, now, outraged.

I'll admit, I panicked at how loud she was being, the formerly friendly character suddenly incensed.

And so, worried that the others would hear her, worried what they'd assume, I did the only thing I could think of.

I leaned towards her, lifting the pendant, and touched it to her forehead.

Monica immediately quieted. Her expression shifted from outrage to...admiring infatuation. She looked up at me, those orange lips parted, and said, "I am...sorry, for raising my voice that way. How embarrassing. I must make amends. What...would you ask of me?"

The change in her affect was profound. A small part of me was impressed at how completely Monica was roleplaying this character. A much larger part of me was now admittedly enjoying the look of adoration on her face, so at odds with how she usually was, the characters she usually played.

"Uh...okay," I stammered, trying to think quickly. "Don't...don't tell my friends what you just learned."

She looked hurt. "I would never do that! I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping it from them. It must be important, some wisdom that is beyond me. I should never have doubted you." The contrition in her voice was palpable.

I did believe that she wouldn't tell them, now. That note had basically indicated the pendant would be like some kind of charm spell. She was certainly behaving charmed. But I wasn't sure what else she could do to help us, and I hesitated.

A look of concern crossed Diphylla's face. "Oh, Cedwin. Please don't doubt me. I'm sorry I reacted that way. I'll keep your secrets, do anything you want. I would do anything to show you I am worthy of your trust," Diphylla said. She put a hand on my thigh for emphasis.

She didn't say it seductively -- just earnestly -- but the offer hung in the air between us.

To be honest, though, I was mostly just feeling guilty. Yeah, Monica was just playing a character...but I had just made a decision that really cemented the fact that Cedwin was siding with the Night Queen against the party. I was basically playing a bad guy, now, and I didn't actually want to be.

I tried to think quickly. Maybe Diphylla could help me. "Do you know of any way to remove the Night Queen's influence from a person?"

Monica put on a thoughtful, faraway look, ran a hand through that silvery mane of hair. "That's no easy task, Cedwin. She's quite powerful...." She trailed off, uncertainly, but then brightened. "There are the Ceremonies of the Grove and River, though. They wouldn't permanently rid you of the Night Queen's influence, but they ought to help you if you face her again. The Ceremony of the Grove, especially, relies on your bond with another to protect you from outside influence."

I had lots of questions about those caveats, but that did sound promising. "Could you help my friends and I perform those?"

"Of course!" The dryad's tone was eager. "Anything for you. I am sure you can vanquish her; I would be happy to help you and your companions. What else can I do? Please, ask anything of me."

In spite of myself, I was getting turned on. Some of it was just Monica's proximity, but it wasn't just that. Monica, talking in this admiring, infatuated way, was admittedly pretty hot. A welcome change from the condescension I'd gotten from the Night Queen and the Daughter. I could feel my cock, hardening in the tight pants.

And it did seem like the dryad was offering...

But -- even though these circumstances were obviously completely orchestrated by Monica -- it still felt messed up, taking advantage of a charmed NPC.

I tried to tell myself that Cedwin -- for all that he was playing into the Night Queen's hands thus far -- wouldn't do that. I didn't want to play the bad guy.

"Why don't we rejoin the others and discuss these Ceremonies you mentioned?" I said, lamely. I stood up, heading for the door.

"Wait, please," she said. Her voice had a desperate note, now. It was so out of character for Monica that it stopped me in my tracks.

"Will you allow me the...honor...of..." as she spoke, the dryad sank slowly to her knees in front of me.

"The honor of what?" My mouth was dry. And my cock was rock hard, now.

"...of pleasing you," Monica whispered. "I can see that you find me attractive. And you must have the same needs all males do. Let me relieve them..." She looked up at me, those bright green eyes hopeful.

Again, intellectually, I knew this was all Monica's doing. She was deliberately putting a choice in front of Cedwin. This could be the beginning of his redemption arc. Just walk away from the enthusiastic dryad who wants to go down on you.

I wasn't going to do that, though.

I'd be giving up an opportunity for Monica to go down on me. The idea of a blowjob from Monica when she was playing a character who wasn't teasing me -- who was instead obsessed with me -- was far too enticing to say no to.

I had to know what that was like.

Sorry, Cedwin.

"You may, Diphylla." I at least had the wherewithal to keep using Cedwin's voice.

She sprang into motion, all eager enthusiasm as she undid my laces. "I hope you find me skilled enough for your tastes," she murmured. "I shall do my best to...oh."

She paused, staring as she pulled the breeches away and my cock sprang free. There was awe in her gaze as she took in the sight of me.

"Oh, yes." There was awe in her voice, too. And lust, now.

"You're magnificent," she whispered.

You might think she was laying it on a little thick. Too over the top.

And maybe she was. In that moment, I didn't give a shit. I had never had a hot woman in skimpy cosplay in front of me, infatuated with my cock, preparing to give me a blowjob.

So even a hot woman pretending to be infatuated with me was a massive turn-on. I felt my cock twitch under her gaze, leaking precum that began beading at the tip.

She brought her hand up to my shaft first, reverently wrapping around it. "So thick," she marveled.

I groaned at the soft touch of her hand on me, and sank back to sit down again on the edge of the bed. She followed, moving forward between my legs.

And then she lowered her mouth, and -- mint-green eyes staring up at me, bright lips wrapped around my cock -- Monica began to suck me off. 

She worked me enthusiastically, one hand around the base of my shaft and balls, one hand above that, and her mouth bobbing up and down on my head and the first inch or two of my shaft, sucking and tonguing simultaneously.

She was so eager. So attentive to my reactions. Her eyes met mine as she did it, watching to see what I liked, a little hum of pleased encouragement she made at each moan or sharp intake of breath from me.

I watched her head bobbing up and down, hands working the shaft, the way those lips wrapped around me. God. The view alone was so hot. Monica, enthusiastically sucking my cock. Monica, who'd done nothing but tease and condescend and manipulate me, both in-character and out of character. And here she was servicing me.

When she pulled her mouth away a minute later, I was already breathing hard. My cock was a sticky mess; Monica's lipstick was smeared all over it. She was breathing hard too...her lipstick was a mess. Nobody had ever gone down on me like this. Ever.

I stared at her, panting, as she looked up at me, still pumping me with both hands.

"We should probably wrap this scene up soon," Monica said. It was the first time in a little while that she'd used her normal voice.

I blinked, the change in her speech throwing me off. As I stared down at her, catching my breath, I saw her work her jaw a little bit. 

"Don't want to split the party up for too long, y'know?" She gave me a wink.

A suspicion dawned on me: she was having trouble. Yeah, she was good at this, but my guess was that Monica generally preferred other acts in the bedroom.

My ego soared. The only thing better than having Monica going down on me, was Monica going down on me and then suggesting we stop because her jaw was getting sore.

"Sure. I mean, if you need to take a little break, we obviously can." I said it as nonchalantly as I could. No grin on my face, expression carefully neutral.

But I couldn't help the satisfaction that crept into my voice. She'd said the same thing to me last session.

Almost immediately, I realized it had been a mistake.

Her expression darkened -- anger flashed across her eyes. "Oh, okay. I wouldn't want to cut the scene short if you want to let it play out a little longer, Chris. You just let me know when you want to stop."

I felt a little bad. And a little afraid.

"Monica, c'mon--ah--"

Words failed me as she redoubled her efforts, mouth bobbing on me faster than she had previously. She had been eager before, but she was absolutely driven now. Moaning, she pulled one of her hands off of me for long enough to guide first one of my hands, then the other, to her breasts. I fondled them, squeezing them as she went down on me.

She pulled her mouth off me with a moaned, "Oh, Cedwin." She was using Diphylla's voice again, infatuated, pleading. "I want you to mark me. Consecrate me into your service." As she spoke, she was milking me with both hands in unison, a rapid twisting, pumping motion.

I moaned, continuing to knead those big tits. There was no mistaking what she was asking me to do. And I was just about ready to do it. The enthusiasm in her technique was going to send me over the edge.

Diphylla continued in low, reverent tones. "Then we'll return to your companions. Let them see that you have anointed me, that I belong to you."

I paused. "I, uh --" Was she suggesting we just walk back out there, after I finished on her? 

She wouldn't do that...would she?

She kept going, intense and earnest. "When they see that I have allowed you to make me yours, it will be beyond question in their minds that you are free of the Night Queen's corruption. And I will travel by your side, serve you every night in this way..."

She sounded insane, now, obsessed. And the look of avid, wild worship in those alien eyes was a little scary. If she made me cum, she might just do it. I tried to imagine Liz, Erin, or Mike's reaction as we walked back out of the bedroom, Monica covered in my...

"Cum all over me, Cedwin. Make me yours," Diphylla begged.

Her hands were pistoning up and down my length now, making squelching sounds. I had been reflexively feeling up her tits, and I realized I could feel her nipples -- hard, firm nubs -- under my fingertips now.

It was all too much. I was going to cum if she didn't stop right now. "Monica, I mean, uh, Diphylla, w-wait---"

Immediately, she stopped. "You...don't wish for me to finish you?" She was still using her Diphylla voice, sounded perplexed.

I was silent for a few deep breaths, getting ahold of myself, trying to roleplay as I felt the edge of the orgasm receding. "Uh, maybe later...I think my companions will find it odd if it is obvious that we coupled when you were supposed to just be giving me the welcoming ceremony."

"Is it one of them? Enna, or that human, Lucia? Are you saving it for them?" Monica whispered, staring forlornly at my cock.

I flushed. "N-no, I just...no, Diphylla, this just isn't the moment."

"Very well." She pouted, and then her affect changed. "Okay, anything else Cedwin wants to do before he rejoins the others? As is probably obvious, the dryad will do whatever you want." As she spoke, she stood up, moving over to her vanity and quickly working to reset her lipstick, her makeup, everything.

I shook my head in disbelief at the complete shift -- mannerisms, body language, all of it -- as she went from being Diphylla to Monica again.

"Nah, I think that's it..." I glanced down at my cock -- a mess of lipstick and precum -- and reached over, grabbing the tissues from her vanity to clean myself up a bit, too.

"You know, after you wanted to continue the scene, I'm a little surprised you cut it off there instead of exploring things with Diphylla more. She'd totally let Cedwin fuck her, or do anything else to her."

I opened my mouth and then closed it, at a loss for words.

She paused, as if something was occurring to her for the first time. "Oh...but maybe Cedwin wasn't going to be able to do more. I mean, I remember how things went with the Daughter of Blades. And with the Night Queen too, actually...a bit of a pattern forming for Cedwin, isn't there?" she said, smugly.

Shame surged in me. "I-I could have -- I mean, uh, Cedwin could have kept going. I just figured, like you said, we should wrap it up and get back out there..." It sounded unconvincing even to me. I knew I had been moments away from just erupting all over her.

And she clearly knew it, too. "I'm sure," she said, the smirk written all over her face. "Well, Diphylla escorts you back to the main meadow, where the others are. Perhaps Cedwin will have more staying power in the ceremonies."

Somehow, after a scene where she'd been willing to do my bidding, whatever I wanted...I was still leaving feeling humiliated.

And I continued to act like Cedwin was a servant of the Night Queen.

She opened the door, and we both went back into her main room.

---

Monica began speaking as she sat down.

"He is free of the Night Queen's corruption. His resistance to her influence must be impressive indeed to have maintained his willpower all that time in her service. I am glad that you all have managed to find such a stalwart ally." Diphylla cast an admiring glance my way.

Erin nodded, pleased. "I told you as much! And he's handsome too."

"He is, quite," Diphylla agreed shyly, looking towards me admiringly from downcast eyes.

Lucia nodded, thoughtfully. "How else can you help us against the Queen, Diphylla? We must confront her again, and now we know her true strength to be quite formidable."

"Cedwin asked the same thing!" Diphylla's voice was all enthusiasm again. "There are two powerful ceremonies we could perform for you all; the Ceremony of the Grove and the Ceremony of the River. Each will leverage the strength of your relationships to shield -- or empower -- you, when you encounter her again."

"That sounds pretty useful," Meldrin said. The reedy voice still surprised me, coming from Mike.

"We can start with the Ceremony of the Grove," Diphylla said. "It is the simpler of the two, intended for a pair of companions going into battle together. It relies on trust between companions to build a mental shield."

Monica shifted to her normal voice. "Diphylla explains the effects in detail. If the ceremony is successfully completed, one of the recipients will be able to shield the other from the Night Queen's psychic manipulation."

That did sound useful. "Can she do it twice -- once for two of us, once for the other two?" I asked.

Monica shook her head sadly, clearly playing Diphylla again. "It hurts my heart to disappoint you, Cedwin. But no. I can only perform this ritual once each season. If you'd like to stay, linger here until the autumnal equinox, though..." she trailed off, hopefully.

"I'm sorry, it hurts her heart to disappoint you?" Liz was glancing back and forth between Monica and me, suspiciously.

"I've got high charisma, remember? I win hearts and minds. Anyway, I, uh, don't think we have that kind of time," I said, hastily, hoping to change the subject. "Who should receive the ceremony?" I paused a moment, then added, as if mulling it over strategically, "Cedwin would like it, I think, since he'll be on the frontlines."

The truth, though, was that I was desperate for anything I could fall back on to leverage against Monica to help Cedwin behave like a good guy. I didn't trust my own willpower anymore. Maybe some in-game mechanics would help.

But the other three just nodded at that, as if it made sense, and then began discussing who else should participate alongside Cedwin.

They eventually settled on Meldrin. "After all, he's already been laid low by her psychic powers once before," Liz concluded, reluctantly. She had wanted Lucia to participate, but it hadn't been especially clear why Lucia was a better choice than Enna or Meldrin.

It made me wonder again if Liz was the secret admirer.

"Excellent. Cedwin and Meldrin, follow me, please. You must prepare yourselves. Enna and Lucia, please make yourselves comfortable. I shall return shortly."

Mike clapped me on the shoulder and stood up, following Monica into her bedroom. Wondering what this was going to be like, I headed into the other room with the two of them.

---

"The first part of the ritual is simple," Diphylla enthused. "One of you two needs to tell the other a secret. Something potentially shameful, an innermost truth."

She waited a beat, looking between us.

"Uh...like...anything?" Mike said, tentatively.

She nodded. "It could be a fear you have, or a memory that brings you humiliation..." Those odd green eyes drifted, her gaze resting on me. "A moment you wish you had done something different but didn't, perhaps."

Jesus. What was she expecting, that I'd tell Mike how instead of resisting the Night Queen, Cedewin had cum all over her tits?

Mike shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

Monica moved towards the door. "Good. I will leave you two to it. The secrets are not for my ears. I shall return shortly."

She left. I looked at Mike uncertainly, not sure how to start. Mike had no such qualms, though. He looked over at me with a smile that was all-too-familiar after years of wingmanning for each other at bars -- or trying to anyway -- and said, "Dude. She is hot as hell, right? Her campaign is awesome, practically every session is a different costume."

I laughed ruefully. "Yeah. It's distracting."

"I know it." He elbowed me. "So...what were the last two sessions like? C'mon, tell me."

I shrugged, feeling an odd combination of discomfort -- at the idea of talking about what had happened with anyone else -- and relief at the opportunity to finally compare notes with someone about what had been happening. "Uh...I dunno. Like you say, she was dressed as a different character each time..."

"All sexy though, right?" Mike cracked a grin again as I nodded. "Yeah, that's how it was when we went to the Arcanatrix's Sanctum, too."

"What was she like? Arcanatrix Ravenna?" He had me curious, now.

Mike shrugged. "Actually, we didn't even meet her; she was apparently out planeswalking or something. But Monica dressed up as the Arcanatrix's Consigliere, this like magical...construct...lady...who manages her Sanctum. The outfit was...well. Three words." He counted them off on his fingers. "Skintight. Black. Latex."

I whistled in appreciation.

"She had this mask on too, so we couldn't see her face. It was weird, but, obviously, hot. The Sanctum itself was like...I dunno, a classic dungeon. Traps, puzzles, that sort of thing. But this Consigliere kept reappearing and like, splitting us up..." he trailed off.

I was nodding along. "Yeah, sounds like how she's been running the last two sessions, too. Lots of pulling people off into side rooms."

"...Anyway I, uh...made a deal." He was clearly uncomfortable. "With the Consigliere, I mean."

I paused. "Did you? What kind of deal?"

"Well, the dungeon was pretty rough on Liz and Erin's characters; they were pissed. Talking about wrecking the Sanctum, that sort of thing. The Consigliere offered me a boon, in return for getting them to agree to keep the Sanctum intact. I...I agreed."

"A boon? What...what kind of boon?"

"The, um...details aren't important." His face was red. "I'll get it if we go back to the Sanctum. So next session, maybe, I guess."

I could imagine all kinds of things, but I wasn't sure I really wanted to know. The parallels with my own situation felt obvious. And I didn't press him, just nodded, thoughtfully.

We sat in silence for a moment before something occurred to me. "Hey, that's actually a pretty good secret, right? Enna and Lucia don't know about that boon? I think it counts."

He brightened. "Yeah, you're right. It is a secret!"

And not a moment too soon.

Monica reopened the door and came in, using Diphylla's voice. "Well? Have you shared a secret?"

I nodded. "Meldrin has told me a significant secret indeed." I used Cedwin's weary baritone.

Monica switched to her normal voice. "What'd he tell you? Just gotta confirm that you're actually powering the ritual with a secret, y'know."

"I told him about my deal with the Consigliere," Mike said. His face was red again, and he didn't make eye contact with Monica.

"Did you indeed," she murmured, with interest. "Well, that counts as a secret shared."

She nodded, adopting Diphylla's mannerisms. "Very well. We will move to the second half of the Ceremony of the Grove, now. Meldrin, come with me. Cedwin, I shall return shortly."

---

I sat in Monica's bedroom, silent for a little while while I waited for her to return.

I mulled over what Mike had told me, wondering what kind of deal he might've made. He was...well, a pretty bro-y, horny guy. It wouldn't surprise me if he'd been offered something sexual, and accepted it. I was trying to decide how I felt about that -- about Mike, about Monica...

And then Monica opened the door again, and I completely lost my train of thought.

She had changed.

She was wearing a bikini. It was two pieces, both some kind of shiny gold fabric. The halter top was at the limit of its structural integrity; the bikini bottoms offered some coverage, but clung to her full ass in a way that made it clear just how curvaceous she was. The contact lenses, the dress, the wig, the orange lipstick, were all gone. It was just Monica as her usual self: black hair, dark eyes, big, pale tits...and a knowing smirk on her face as she watched me stare.

"I, uh...what happened to Diphylla?" Not the most articulate way I could've addressed the wardrobe change, but staring at her body, it was the best I could do.

Her voice was amused. "Sorry, Chris. I could tell you had grown so fond of her. But the next part is really mostly in Cedwin -- and Meldrin's -- minds' eye. And I sent Liz and Erin up to the pool area, so they could hang out since they aren't in this ceremony. So I figured I might as well change before we started this. We'll all go up once this is done." She shut the door behind her.

"Okay..."

"The ceremony itself is pretty simple. Cedwin and Meldrin are separated, in two different groves. Your combined will is about to be tested; I'm not really playing a character, so much as the mental demons Cedwin will be battling. When he feels himself about to break, to give in, simply say, I call upon the strength of the grove. Got it?"

I nodded, uncertainly.

"When you say that, I'll switch to testing Meldrin instead. This'll continue -- Cedwin calling on Meldrin's help, Meldrin calling on Cedwin's -- until one of the two fails to call for aid fast enough. The longer you are able to resist, the more powerful the effects of the ritual will be, in the end. I've explained all this to Mike as well."

She moved to stand in front of me.

"Now, let's see...the ceremony is different for each participant, based on their weaknesses. For Cedwin...what do you think he would be thinking about, as he contemplates his friends, their shared bond, the desire to confront the Night Queen again, and tries to fortify his will against her?"

"I don't know, um..." I stammered, trying to organize my thoughts. None of the dryad's guileless enthusiasm, here. This was all Monica, and it had me completely off-balance.

"You don't know?" Her voice was mocking. "Come on. Fine, I'll suggest a few things that might come to mind, for Cedwin."

"Maybe," she whispered, adopting the confident, almost cruel whisper of the voice she used for the Night Queen, "he's thinking of the last time he 'confronted' the Night Queen. Not much of a confrontation before he gave in, was it?" She ran her hands up to her full tits in that bikini, squeezing them.

I swallowed.

"Or perhaps he's thinking of the Daughter of Blades..." her voice shifted again, suddenly sarcastic, bratty. "...And how, in spite of his best efforts, how quickly Cedwin lost control for her, as well."

Fuck. Over the last thirty seconds, I had gotten so hard it was almost painful.

She continued. "Or maybe..." the words poured out of her, breathless, enthusiastic, "he's just thinking of a dryad. One who -- thanks to the Night Queen's help -- was oh-so-willing to do whatever he wanted. And how...in spite of himself...he was once again overcome by his need, couldn't last..."

As she finished talking, Monica sat, placing herself in my lap, sitting on one of my thighs. I could feel the soft curve of her ass along my leg. Could feel the warmth radiating off her skin. I could still smell that floral scent she'd worn as part of her Diphylla costume. Reflexively, I put a hand around her waist, resting it on the swell of her ass.

She murmured in my ear, now. "This ceremony looks different for every participant, but for Cedwin, it's clear what the test is. What the Night Queen would exploit. He has one very obvious weakness. One thing he just seems helpless to resist."

I was intoxicated with her closeness, the way she was talking, shifting between characters, speaking to me directly, the way her skin felt under my hand, warm, soft, feminine...

She was whispering right in my ear, now, not using a character voice at all. "So...that's what the test is for Cedwin..." She said my character's name almost sarcastically, and I felt her hand drift, massaging my cock through the leggings.

Not cumming for Diphylla might've been a mistake, I realized, suddenly. Having gotten to the edge once already, only minutes ago...well, I was primed for Monica's sensual touch on my cock. Even through my pants, it felt really good.

I debated whether to try to last longer. I could, I thought. But I didn't really trust my own judgment on that. "I call upon the power of the grove," I gritted out.

"Already?" One eyebrow quirked up. "How interesting. I'll see you in a bit, then." She sauntered out of the room.

---

I waited, in silence, trying to take deep, even breaths, willing my erection to fade. But I couldn't help but wonder what she was doing with Mike. Was it the same? Different? He'd been embarrassed about whatever deal he'd made with the Consigliere in a way that was very familiar to me.

Monica's amused 'Already?' from just before she had left flitted through my mind, prompting another surge of humiliation.

And then she was back. "Hi again," she purred. "Meldrin called on the power of the grove. Time for his friend to take some of the heat, I guess."

I realized, belatedly, that it might've been good to actually keep track of how much time that had taken, to get a sense of how long a reprieve I might get going forward. I at least took a moment to glance at the clock in her room to note the time now. 3:42.

As I was doing that, Monica sat in my lap again, slid her hand against my bulge. "Did the reprieve help? Mmm...you're still so hard...maybe you needed more help than Meldrin could offer...maybe you'll be the first to give in..." She was tugging at the laces of my pants, now. I didn't stop her -- I might have, I suppose, but her closeness overwhelmed me.

"What, uh, kind of test is he getting?" I tried to ask the question nonchalantly. Like I was just a player, asking about the specific mechanics of the ceremony.

You know, whether or not she was jacking off my friend in the other room.

"Mmm, are you worried he's getting something you're not? Jealous?" She flicked my ear with her tongue, punctuating the last word.

I sucked in a hissed breath at the feel of her mouth on me.

"What if it was the same test as you're getting? Do you think you'd last longer than him? Would you want to, to prove your worth to me? To your Mistress?" Her voice was pleased.

And on the last word, she finished undoing the laces and freed my cock.

"The ceremony is different for each participant, based on their weaknesses," she murmured, repeating herself. Her eyes were on mine as her hand wrapped around me. "And you had better focus on Cedwin's weaknesses...Diphylla was very good, wasn't she?"

I could only moan as she slowly stroked her hand all the way up, and then all the way down, my length. The slow, thorough sensation was incredible.

"I could tell you liked her enthusiasm, after all. How devoted she was to Cedwin. She got you so excited." Monica said the words low, directly into my ear, lips brushing mine. I was squeezing her ass now, my hand resting on it as she pumped my cock.

"You almost came for her. And now you're close again already. You can't help it. You're going to. Now." She was assured, confident.

After a few more strokes of her hand, I realized she was right. I was just too turned on by the situation to continue. "I-I call upon the power of the grove," I managed to get out, embarrassed.

She stopped, immediately. "Okay, then." She gave me a wink. "Back in a bit."

I glanced at the clock. 3:43.

That hadn't even taken two minutes.

---

Again, I sat there, trying to control both my breathing and my own feelings -- which were running amok. What if she liked Mike more? Maybe she treated him better -- maybe she was submissive for him, showed him respect, where all I got was condescending digs at my stamina. Maybe he was fucking her right now, bending her over and -- jealousy, resentment, humiliation flared in me.

I tried to decide what to do...and then she was back, faster than the last time. I looked at the clock. 3:44. Again, less than two minutes. Certainly closer to one minute than two.

It meant I was still rock-hard, still turned on. But admittedly, it made me feel better. Whatever they were doing, at least Mike wasn't handling his test any better than I was handling mine.

Monica was eyeing me. I tried to make my expression neutral, but perhaps there was relief, or hope, or just satisfaction at the realization that Mike wasn't handling this any better than I was on my face, because she frowned as she studied me.

"I think I've been taking it too easy on you," she said, abruptly, moving towards me. "What do you think Cedwin dreams about, Chris?"

"Uh...freeing himself from...the Night Queen's...dark...mmm--" my feeble attempt trailed off into a moan as she straddled my lap. Her big tits were inches from my face, now, and I felt the head of my cock press against the soft, shiny material of her bikini bottoms.

"You don't believe that," she said, shaking her head slowly. "Not really. I'll tell you what I think."

She pulled my hands to her breasts. I resisted only a little, and once I touched them, I couldn't stop. Having my hands on her -- how big her tits felt, their soft weight -- caused my cock to surge, twitching against the material of that bikini.

"I think he dreams of her, and little else. He thinks of devoting himself to her, mind and body, over and over. He is consumed by what it would be like to enter her, to be enveloped by her." As she spoke, she reached a hand down, pulling her bikini bottoms to the side.

"After all," Monica whispered, slyly, "our hero came in a single thrust inside the Daughter of Blades."

My cock twitched, and the stab of humiliation I felt went right to my gut. "That's not--I didn't--"

She cut me off. "In a single thrust, and you think he dreams of resisting? No. He must imagine what it would be like to enter the Night Queen. His Dark Mistress. If the Night Queen came to him one night in his dreams, and just sank..."

She lowered herself, smoothly. I could feel the head of my cock, resting against her opening. She was wet, ready.

"...Down..."

I felt myself start to slip inside her, the sensation of tight resistance, the slick softness, enveloping me.

 Fuck, she just felt so good. She was right. I was going to crest over the edge if I didn't stop her.

"...On Cedwin's big, thick..." The last word came out as a breathy moan from Monica.

"I call upon the power of the grove," I blurted.

She pulled away.

For a long moment, I thought I had waited too long. I teetered on the edge, my orgasm hanging in the balance as I wrestled with it. I had gotten to the brink of cumming so fast I wasn't sure I was going to be able to pull back.

But after a moment, the feeling receded.

Monica pursed her lips. "I'll be back quickly, I'm sure," she murmured. "I think we're almost done here."

I glanced at the time. 3:44.

She'd been in the room for less than a minute.

---

I did my best to calm myself down.

It wouldn't matter, I knew. I couldn't last another round. There was no way.

This whole afternoon she'd just been repeatedly edging me. She'd cut off the blowjob early enough, but when I teased her, she'd resumed it, and gotten me right to the brink of cumming. Then she'd come back in here and gotten me right to the edge before I'd sent her out again.

That last time had almost been too much, and she kept escalating. I didn't know what was next, but I certainly wasn't going to last even a single thrust inside her. Not after all of this. I was too turned on.

I looked down at my cock -- sticky, still hard, throbbing. I was so turned on that I was half-tempted just to jerk off and finish myself. I recognized how irrational that was -- the only thing more pathetic than Monica coming back in here and finishing me off in ten seconds, was her coming back in here to find me rubbing one out, or having already blown my load...

And then she was back. It had been maybe thirty seconds. My overriding emotion was helpless relief. I needed to cum so badly. I was ready for this to be over.

But instead of coming in the room, she just cracked the door open, peering in. "Hey, so, uh, Meldrin caved."

I blinked. Not what I had expected. "W-what?"

"He didn't call on the power of the grove fast enough. The ceremony's over. You guys did pretty well though -- that was three rounds from Cedwin, and two from Meldrin. I'll email out a summary of the ceremony's effects before next session. Honestly, you did better than I expected. I was sure you'd give in first." Her voice was soft, smug.

The combination of the backhanded compliment/insult with my arousal -- that now wouldn't be relieved -- left me confused. I wasn't going to get to finish?

She gave my cock -- which was hard, still throbbing -- a lingering look, before bringing her eyes to mine and giving me a sly little pout. "Aw. If only Diphylla were here. It doesn't look like it'd take much..."

I looked away.

"Anyway, go ahead and change into your swimsuit in here, then we can head on up to the pool area." She pulled the door closed behind her.

---

I took some deep breaths, trying to compose myself after Monica left. And then I pulled out my swimsuit...and remembered I had brought two.

I stared at the black swim briefs.

I was turned on already, and walking into god-knows-what Monica had cooked up for a roleplaying scenario surrounded by attractive women in bikinis. This did not seem like a good idea.

But I also didn't want to piss off the secret admirer.

Sighing, I pulled them on.

---

Mike was uncharacteristically subdued as we went down the hall and got into the elevator, but seemed to rouse himself as it started moving.

"I can't believe you're wearing those, dude, it's not really your style," he commented. He was in board shorts and t-shirt.

"Y'know, I just tried to think about what Cedwin would wear," I said, echoing Liz's comments from earlier. I had kept the pendant on, but removed everything else; I had a t-shirt on that I planned on removing once I was actually in the water.

Monica gave me a look, an unreadable expression on her face. "Hmm. Cedwin's a bit of a showoff, is he? I'll have to remember that."

I wasn't sure what to make of that.

Monica led us out on to the roofs. It was a nice, sunny day, but still a bit chilly. Liz and Erin waved to us from the water. We dropped our stuff where we saw they'd put theirs, I pulled off my t-shirt, and we joined them.

"God, you guys were down there forever," Erin complained. "Liz and I are hardly even getting to play this session!"

"Yeah, I know you like splitting the party Monica, but c'mon, we gotta get to play some too," Liz agreed.

I was only half-listening as I got into the pool.

Liz was wearing that black monokini, she'd shown us, her hair up to keep it out of the water.

Erin was wearing an emerald green bikini. It pushed her tits together, creating appealing, freckled cleavage.

It felt like there was nowhere safe for my eyes to be. I was grateful that the shock of the water -- cool, but not ice cold -- helped to control my raging libido.

I just wanted to get through this without offending whoever here wasn't purposefully teasing me.

Monica rolled her eyes in reply to Liz. "Well, good news then. The Ceremony of the River is intended to empower dryad sisters before battle. It can work on others who aren't dryads...as long as they're women."

Liz and Erin high-fived.

"Wait, so Cedwin and Meldrin only get the defensive ritual, but not the empowering one?" The complaint was clear in Mike's voice.

Liz scoffed. "Whatever. Meldrin clearly needs more defense anyway. You can throw fireballs around willy-nilly, but you fail one saving throw too many and you're unconscious for two sessions. Anyway, it's time for some girl power, for a change. What do we do, Monica?"

She smiled. "Come with me, and I'll explain it to the two of you. Mike and Chris, I'll be back for you in a minute."

All three of them got out of the water. Mike and I were both staring as the water streamed off the three women. I found myself specifically stuck staring at Erin -- wet red hair, long thighs flexing, as she stood up out of the pool.

"Dude, when did our friends get so hot? I mean, Erin's always been pretty, but both of them, now..." Mike was staring too.

I responded a little robotically, my mind elsewhere. "I dunno, man. Liz has been hitting the gym. Clearly." Liz's monokini was mostly backless, and came down to a thong bottom. I -- and Mike, and every other man with functioning eyes and a clear line-of-sight -- was watching her ass flex as the three of them walked across the pool area.

Mike grunted his agreement. Monica led them over to the hot tub. The three of them got in, Monica talking animatedly. Liz and Erin were listening with rapt attention, periodically laughing.

"Hey...do you think Liz and Erin were like...always game, for Monica's, uh, style of play?" It had been bothering me for a while now, and I figured Mike was the one person I could probably talk to about this.

"Hmm? How do you mean?" Mike was still staring at the three of them.

"Like...I've never seen either of them even have especially inventive Halloween costumes. Liz dressed up as Tifa a few years in a row when we were younger, I think? But nothing like this." I waved a hand at the three of them. "And now Monica's tailoring Erin's dresses to fit her character. Liz doesn't just have a character outfit, she brought a bathing suit she thought Lucia would wear."

Mike snorted. "Yeah, I see what you mean I guess."

"Was I just a shitty DM?"

Mike shook his head, vehemently. "Nah, man. Monica just has a different style of game. It's...probably not for everybody. But you're having fun with it, right? I think they are too."

I nodded. "Yeah, just..." I shrugged. "I wish we had been playing this way for a while longer, you know?"

The words were out of my mouth before I really thought about them. Was that really true? When I thought about how my performance, in the scenes with Monica, always seemed to leave me feeling embarrassed, I wasn't so sure.

Mike was just laughing. "That's fair. If I had known we could be doing some of our sessions in a pool with our friends wearing bikinis, I would've made you change your approach years ago."

Now I laughed, agreeably.

"Anyway, I think we're about to get interrupted," he said. Monica was walking back towards us. As we looked that way, Erin gave us a cheery little wave from the hot tub. Liz blew us a kiss.

Monica slipped into the water next to us. "Okay, here's the deal, guys. Each of you is gonna go over there, one at a time. The ceremony of the grove was all about the two of you supporting each other, your strengths providing a reprieve from each other's weaknesses."

Neither Mike nor I looked at each other.

"The Ceremony of the River is completely different. It's all about Enna and Lucia's feminine power. You're going to go over to the hot tub one at a time. Their goal is to get you to leave the hot tub as quickly as possible. The faster you leave, the more successful their ritual is."

Mike looked skeptical. "So we should just leave as quickly as possible, so their ritual is as powerful as possible?"

Monica was irritated. "I'm not done. First of all, here's the scene: the dryads prepare each of you for the ritual. They lead you to a nearby river, where Enna and Lucia are waiting. Your characters are all naked for this. You guys obviously don't have to be, but it's part of the ceremony."

Mike gave her a skeptical look, but didn't interrupt again.

"Second, you all have to stay in character over there. They do, too. If somebody breaks character, the ceremony fails. I'm trusting you all to hold each other to that."

Mike opened his mouth, but Monica kept going, bullishly.

"And finally, Mike, your goal should be to stay as long as you can. The longer each of you stay there, the more I'll consider Cedwin and Meldrin to have stores of willpower that they haven't tapped, yet, bonds with their companions that run deep, past whatever discomfort they inflict on you. It'll make the results of the Ceremony of the Grove more powerful."

He closed his mouth, nodding.

"Now. Any questions? No?" She looked back and forth between us. Neither of us said anything. "Okay, good. Mike, since you were so eager, you have to go first. Timer starts when you get in the hot tub with them."

She made a shooing motion with one hand.

"Okay, fine, fine." Mike rolled his eyes, but pulled himself out of the pool and started heading towards the hot tub.

Once he was gone, Monica eyed me speculatively, her gaze lingering on the Night Queen's pendant around my neck. "How interesting that you decided to keep that on."

I hadn't thought about it that much, which I was now realizing might've been a mistake. "Just, y'know, figured I'd keep as much of the costume on as I could, that's all. Session's still going."

She made a noncommittal sound. ""Mmm. Or maybe you're just that devoted to your Mistress. Cedwin is, I mean." She paused. "Or maybe you're still hoping to find a chance to use the pendant on Enna, to see if it works like it did for Diphylla."

Monica's lips quirked into a smile. "Maybe you -- I mean, Cedwin -- would like that."

She glanced at a nearby clock, noting the time as Mike reached the hot tub and lowered himself into it, then turned back to me.

"I guess we'll see," I said, evenly, deciding not to take the bait.

"So, Chris. I've actually been meaning to ask you--" She leaned forward, earnestly...but then cut off as a peal of laughter from Liz rang out. We both turned. Mike was out of the hot tub, walking towards us quickly, looking shamefaced.

"See you soon, Meldrin," Erin called after him.

Even Monica looked surprised. "Wow, uh...okay. I'll ask you another time, I guess. Your turn."

---

I passed Mike on my way to the hot tub.

"Those are not our friends. They are demons. Cruel, bikini-wearing demons, sent from Hell, to torture us." He muttered it to me as he walked past.

I raised an eyebrow at that, but we were within earshot of the girls, and I wasn't about to be the one to break character. I slipped into the hot tub.

I settled into the seat that was furthest from Liz and Erin, although this was a small hot tub -- built into the floor of the roof level, probably intended for four people only if those people were really comfortable with one another. Liz and Erin were monopolizing the space, languidly stretched out hogging about three-quarters of it.

I relaxed against the seat. The water felt good, hot. They had the jets turned up to high, turning it into a cauldron of bubbles.

"Comfy, handsome?" Liz said, in Lucia's smoky whisper, watching as I settled in.

"Yeah, enjoying the river?" Erin was using her voice for Enna: breathless, slightly vapid.

"I am," I said, in Cedwin's baritone, but putting some warmth into it. "I see you ladies have driven off Meldrin already. I hope my company is more agreeable."

Erin laughed. "He just seems...sensitive. Can't take a little joke, I guess."

"Maybe we've been looking forward to talking to you more anyway," Liz said, Lucia's voice a husky purr. "Tell us, what took so long with the welcoming ceremony earlier?"

"Diphylla had...many concerns," I said, thinking quickly. "I was in the service of the Night Queen a long time. Her dark aura evidently lingers. 'Unpleasant', Diphylla called it."

Erin wrinkled her nose cutely. "I haven't felt any dark aura about you," she said, in Enna's earnest tones. "Are you sure that was it? There wasn't something else that made it take longer?"

"Yeah," Lucia's voice was frank now. "Did you fuck her?"

I blinked. Even in-character, this was the first time Liz had been that frank. I held up my hands. "Ladies, I--"

I cut off. Someone's foot grazed the inside of my thigh. With how high the swim briefs were cut, it was all bare skin.

"It's fine if you did," Enna chimed in. "We're just trying to understand why she was so enthusiastic about you. It's not like Diphylla, ordinarily."

"I mean, given how the Daughter reacted after that little dalliance, maybe it's to be expected. Women seem to like you, Cedwin." Liz moved next to me, pulling herself up to sit on the edge of the hot tub, now. I couldn't help it -- I glanced over at the curve of her ass. Liz had an even tan, deeper than I would've expected with no tan lines, and my gaze lingered on the smooth round muscle of her butt.

"I mean, I see the appeal," Enna gushed. I turned around. She'd moved in closer too, was only about a foot away, now.

"Yeah..." Liz slipped back into the hot tub, sliding next to me. I could feel the length of her thigh touching mine, from knee all the way to hip, all smooth skin and lean muscle. "I mean, there's a reason I call you handsome," she purred, right into my ear. "And you're tall. Competent with a blade. Dangerous."

"Makes you wonder what else he's competent with," Erin said, breathless and giggly, in my other ear. "But...if you're so free of the Night Queen's embrace, Cedwin...why are you still wearing her pendant?"

She slowly moved a hand towards the crescent moon dangling about my neck.

I was now rock hard again. Worse than that, I was really turned on. All the teasing from Monica earlier, Liz and Erin this close to me wearing practically nothing, the way they were talking -- it was all a recipe to have me on edge, and it was working.

Second, maybe Monica had said something to Erin about the pendant. This seemed like a pretty thin pretext to touch it.

I didn't know what Monica had said, though. But this could be yet another opportunity to redeem Cedwin. He could stop her. No, wait, don't touch it, it still contains the Queen's influence. I wish to be rid of her, once and for all, will you help me? I could even use it as an excuse to get out of the pool, let them finish their ceremony.

Except...

Except then you wouldn't find out if the pendant works on Enna, a little voice whispered in the back of my head. The Night Queen said she'd give her to Cedwin. What if Erin started behaving like Diphylla?

The idea of Erin, breathless and admiring, looking up at my cock from between my legs, was enough to give me pause. I hesitated, not sure what to do.

And in that moment of indecision, Erin wrapped her hand around the pendant.

"It, uh, reminds me of all I've overcome to be here now, relaxing with two new allies," I said. I was watching Erin's reaction to see if she was behaving differently. Maybe Monica would have prompted her to roleplay being charmed?

Erin studied me for a moment. "I can understand that...she did seem to put you through a lot, just before we escaped..."

Her affect didn't change -- still the same breathless, ditzy Enna, her face a few inches from mine. She let go of the pendant from her hand, dropped her hand away, sank down a little bit into the water.

Maybe she had just picked it up by chance, then.

"Mmhm. She did interrogate him several times, didn't she? Plenty long enough to make sure he was still working for her, if you ask me," Liz said, Lucia's voice suspicious, now, from my other side.

I glanced at her. "Look, I know we've only been traveling together for a few weeks," I said, making Cedwin sound a little beleaguered. "But trust me, I want to defeat her just as much as the rest of you. That's why I was willing to help persuade the Daughter, to help heal Meldrin, to have Diphyll divine my true intent. I'll help with the Arcanatrix as well. We can beat the Night Queen. Vanquish her. Together."

"Oh, I believe you'd like to vanquish her," Lucia teased. "Probably multiple times, in a tastefully appointed bedroom. Which is what I assume happened with the Daughter."

Enna giggled. "Yes, Cedwin, tell us, what did happen with the Daughter? Paint us a picture."

"Look, for now, why don't we just relax--"

I cut off in surprise as I felt the distinct sensation of a hand, underneath the water, running slowly and deliberately, along the length of my cock. Exploring my size. And then settling into a rhythm, rubbing me.

I bit back a startled moan of pleasure, glancing between them. The secret admirer? Presumably. But I couldn't tell whose hand it was.

"You don't look relaxed," Lucia observed, all amused suspicion.

"Yeah, you seem really tense," Enna said. "C'mon, Cedwin. If you won't tell us what happened with Diphylla...you can at least tell us about the Daughter." She sounded curious.

Neither sounded like someone who was currently giving me a handjob. They were both close to me, almost entirely submerged under the water. I couldn't tell which of them was doing it.

The hand on me was confident, touching with just the right amount of pressure. I would've expected the wet swim briefs, underwater, to be chafe, uncomfortably. But instead it felt good. The fabric, weightless in the churning water of the jets, had a slick, smooth feel as her hand slid along my length.

I was frozen, trapped. I didn't want to push the hand away and reveal what was going on to whichever of them wasn't the secret admirer .

And now I didn't want to get out either, put a massive erection on display for everyone. I glanced at Mike and Monica, who were watching us from the pool, chatting idly.

Enna had asked a question. I tried to think of something lighthearted, funny, in-character to say in reply.

What came out was: "I-I mean..."

I blushed.

"Why, Cedwin...are you blushing?" Lucia was triumphant.

"He is," Enna said, with a laugh.

And that hand just kept going. Steady, controlled. No sense of urgency, just a continuous, smooth, stroking motion up and down my length.

"You can tell us," Enna urged. "C'mon. What happened? Did she use her breasts to pleasure you?"

As she spoke, she pushed her chest forward, a little out of the water. I stared down at the way her bikini pushed her tits together, the water beading on her cleavage...

Erin breathlessly moaned in my ear, "Oh, Cedwin, your tower is so mighty, it feels so good against me..."

Liz, immediately, joined in. "Mmm, or maybe he bent her over, took her from behind. Yes, Cedwin, you're so strong, just like that..."

And that hand kept going, relentlessly sliding up and down my length through the briefs.

I was suddenly aware that this was more than I could handle. I could feel the orgasm looming over me.

I wasn't sure what to do. I couldn't leave, I didn't want push the hand away and make a big scene. I glanced first at Erin, full tits pushed up out of the water, then at Liz, a knowing smirk on her face, tan skin a contrast to the black swimsuit....

My indecision went on a moment too long.

I was going to cum, and now it was too late to do anything about it.

Even as the orgasm crested over me, a rush of humiliation washed through me at how ludicrous this was. These were my friends. Roleplaying. For one of them -- whoever wasn't currently stroking my cock under the water -- this was just an exercise in trying to discomfit me enough that I'd leave the hot tub.

They were moaning my character's name, for fuck's sake.

But I had been on edge the whole day.

My cock didn't care how embarrassing this was.

As I started cumming, I made a sound in the back of my throat. It came out as an odd, strangled grunt, that I tried to play off as a cough. Otherwise, I think I handled it pretty well -- I'm sure I looked weird and uncomfortable, but I don't think my face showed much.

Underneath the water was a different story.

My hips bucked helplessly, although I tried to keep the movement to a minimum. My hands clenched as I felt a long afternoon's worth of teasing finally overwhelm me, become too much.

And my cock -- with that hand, confidently continuing to pump me -- erupted, jetting pulse after pulse of cum into my swim trunks.

I was silent, openmouthed and redfaced for a moment as I lost control. Erin lapsed into a fit of giggles. Liz just looked delighted.

"All right, all right, you ladies win, I'll find some relaxation elsewhere," I mumbled. I was still riding the wave of the orgasm, but I forced myself to move, turned to face away from them, and -- with an effort -- pulled myself out of the hot tub at an angle where I hoped nobody was getting treated to the sight of my rock hard cock outlined in wet swim briefs, or cum visibly seeping through the fabric.

If they did get an eyeful, they at least didn't acknowledge it. They both just laughed delightedly, and high-fived each other.

"Gonna run to the restroom before we head back, I'll see you guys downstairs," I called over my shoulder, hoping it was loud enough for Mike and Monica to hear as well. I stumbled over to our things, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around myself, before booked it to the restroom area as fast as I could.

 The restroom at least had a little shower stall so I could rinse out the swim trunks.

How was it that one of my friends had just made me cum in my swim trunks, but I still didn't know who this secret admirer was?

That was my overriding thought as I cleaned myself up. That, and the embarrassment over what had just happened. An orgasm while roleplaying. I mean, yeah, I guess that's what had been happening with Monica, but having it happen with Liz and Erin felt different.

I wondered, with a sense of shame, if they'd both been able to tell what was happening, or if only the one of them with her hand on my cock had been able to tell I was cumming.

I sat for a moment after cleaning up, before I went back down to the others.

---

"It wasn't personal, Meldrin," Erin was saying.

"But it was rude, I mean --" Mike, using Meldrin's reedy voice, trailed off as I came back in.

Erin and Liz both giggled. "It wasn't personal with you either, Cedwin,"

"I know, ladies, I know," I said. The normal weariness I gave Cedwin at least felt appropriate, here, but there was a note of uncertainty in his voice.

"I don't like the way you segregated the party by gender either, Monica," Mike complained.

"Hey, you all picked who did the first ceremony, not me," Monica said, shrugging.

"Well I, for one, liked that it wasn't the Meldrin or Cedwin show for a change," Erin said, primly. "I'm sure it'll be back to that next week with the Arcanatrix. You're just mad because Liz said that Meldrin--"

"Yeah, I remember what she said," Mike cut her off, hastily. "Fine, okay."

They continued to bicker for a minute. I noticed that Monica's eyes were on me, curious.

I wondered if she could tell, somehow that I'd gotten off. Maybe she was wondering who'd done it, or thinking I'd run off to the bathroom to jerk off before coming back down to her apartment.

But after a silent, assessing moment, she turned her attention back to running the game. "Okay, enough out-of-character stuff; Erin, if you're mad the party's going to the Arcanatrix next, you can take it up over email. Mike, if you're mad about how this session went, you can email me afterwards too. Now, there are a few more things to do while you're here..."

Monica outlined a rabid owlbear problem the dryads were having; Enna, of course, insisted we help them before we left. Much discussion was had over the name of the baby fawn Diphylla had been petting when we arrived. Mike wanted to name it Spartacus, to the outrage of the girls. There were other various things we could do to help the dryads, communications arrangements to be made in case we wanted to actually get the dryads to come help battle the Night Queen on our behalf. And so on.

But as always seemed to be the case as we wrapped up these sessions, my mind was elsewhere. I nodded along, sometimes murmured agreement, sometimes laughed. I mechanically answered when people asked what Cedwin was doing. I rolled dice when the situation called for it.

Mostly, I spent the rest of the session with my gaze flicking back and forth between Liz and Erin, wondering which one of them was the secret admirer, looking for some clue that wasn't there.

Some way to figure out which one of them had given me the handjob earlier.

Even though I wasn't even sure which one of them I wanted it to be.