FLOWER AND THORNE

Ariadne sat naked on the cold flagstone floor. Her hands were shackled above her head. Her mind was still foggy, but beginning to clear now that Mistress Thorne- or at least that was what the nightmare woman had called herself- was no longer near.

She considered her situation carefully, trying hard to think through the still diffusing morass of her mind. What did she know? Her hunch had likely been right. She had tracked the missing people back to this place- the one place they all had in common. She was fairly sure she knew where those people had ended up now, remembering those gaunt and wraith-like figures she’d seen in the cages earlier.

She had her suspicions as to what was happening here. She felt confident that her succubus speculation had turned out to be solid. If it walked like a soul sucking sex-demon and talked like a soul sucking sex-demon, well… and fuck. ‘Damsel in distress turns out to be a succubus.’ Oldest trick in the book, and she’d fallen for it. Stupid.

She knew the two things most career adventurers knew about succubi: 1. Fairly strong charm spell, 2. do not kiss. And that bit was interesting, wasnt it. She was pretty sure she’d been charmed, but she could feel that wearing off. As for the life draining kiss; Mistress Thorne hadn’t tried that. If all this was about an easy meal, then why not?

The heavy, oaken door opened and a slender young woman entered. One of Mistress Thorne’s … what? Had she called them her Acolytes? There were two of them present when she’d been captured. They weren’t succubi. At least if they were they weren’t as powerful as Thorne, and both of them did as they were told. They served her.

The girl who’d just entered was the one who had gleefully dragged her in here by her hair, stripped her of her clothes and weapons, and chained her to this damp, cold wall. Her skin was an angry red. small horns protruded from her forehead. Her raven hair was up in high twin pigtails on the sides of her head. Ariadne watched as she stole into the room, black leather clothing creaking as she moved. She wore sandals that ran all the way up to her thighs, her crimson skin showing through elaborate slits and perforations in the leather. Around her neck, she wore a gleaming silver collar and matching cuffs adorned her wrists and ankles. She shut the door furtively behind her. She stalked toward the girl, nostrils flaring as she crossed the room as if she were scenting the air. “Ahhh,”she moaned, grasping Ariadne by her hair and hauling it back. “Fresh slut,” she purred in her ear. I Haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I dragged you in here,” she said and snapped her perfect white teeth centimeters away from her face, “kicking and screaming”.

“Pretty sure I remember that last bit differently,” Ariadne spat. The girl leaned In close and inhaled deeply. “I want your arousal slut. I CRAVE it. She keeps us on such strict rations. So, how do you like it? What makes your loins ache and your pussy drip?” Her lips brushed Ariadne’s lobe, “shall I whisper sweet nothings in your ear? Maybe you prefer it ROUGH!” She grasped the girl’s throat and squeezed, as her long, languorous tongue flicked out. She licked at Ariadne’s nipple and drew the sensitive bud into her mouth. Ariadne moaned in spite of herself as her back arched and her sex ran slick with her arousal. “That’s right slut, give me your essence. She stooped lower and began lapping at Ariadne’s lips parting their soft pick curtain.”

“What are you doing, sister?” Said a quiet voice from behind her. The girl cursed and turned with a hiss at the other acolyte. This one was slender and azure skinned. Her shoulder length hair was pulled up behind her head in a loose ponytail. She was clad in the same black leather and thigh-high sandals as the other girl. The same silver cuffs and collar glinted in the torch light. ” I can only imagine what manner of punishment Mistress Thorne would give you for this, Lillith.”

“Who will tell her, Morrigan?” The woman spat “you?” The other acolyte just looked… sad?” “To think I would need to, only shows how foolish you really are,” Morrigan answered. The other woman just growled and shouldered her way past her. ” fuck you. I got what I came for.”

The girl called Morrigan unlocked the shackles on Ariadne’s wrists. The girl’s tired arms sunk into her lap and she massaged her wrists. “Thanks,” she said.

“Don’t thank me yet,” said Morrigan, melancholy in her voice. “There are much worse things down here than Lillith. ”

Morrigan offered an azure hand. Ariadne took it tentatively, getting to her feet, still suspicious of the woman. She stood up, suddenly aware again that she was naked. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been chained there, but it had been long enough to start focusing on more immediate concerns. Now with morrigan’s luminous purple eyes on her, she was feeling very cognizant of it. Ariadne felt her own violet skin flush.

Morrigan seemed to realize the woman’s discomfort and proffered a small bundle. I brought you something to wear.” she said, handing it to her. “It is not much, but It’s all the Mistress will allow slaves.” Slaves. The word brought Ariadne’s up short. “So, I’m a slave now?” The other girl looked forlorn. Her hand went to one of those silver cuffs on her wrist, the intricate filigree there seemed to glow for a moment. “We are all slaves here,” she said. Some of us simply have nicer chains than others. Come. The mistress has summoned you. But she will want you clean. She is particular about that.

Ariadne followed Morrigan through the corridors. She had only a vague idea where she was. Or a least, where she’d been when everything went sideways.

She’d been hired to find a man who’d disappeared. Before long, she had discovered that there had been a regular epidemic of missing persons; all of whom had connections to a local brothel known as the Flower and Thorne. And wasn’t that name a coincidence. She’d considered checking the place out- just question the proprietor and the staff. She’d opted for the breaking and entering approach, in the end. She didn’t want to tip anyone off; and a woman in a brothel asking questions would raise a lot of eyebrows. She was having second thoughts about that decision now, though.

Her best guess was that they were now in caves or tunnels under the brothel. She was keeping mental track of everything she could as they moved through the corridors. She’d learned early on what an advantage it could be to know the lay of whatever place you found yourself in. Especially a hostile one.

They stepped into a small open cavern, at the center of which was a small hot spring that bubbled to the surface. A small stone bench lay beside it and a large bath mat. The pool was definitely inviting after hours chained to a grimy wall. She placed the little bundle of clothing on the bench and stepped slowly into the warm water. Ariadne’s breath caught as, Without a word, Morrigan sat down on the bench, removed her thigh-high sandals and stepped onto the mat. She stripped off the tight leather bodysuit, her perfect breasts spilled out as the bodice fell away. Her nipples little pink buds blooming on an azure field. Finally Morrigan stood utterly nude except for the silver cuffs and collar. Ariadne made a pointed effort not to stare at the woman’s flawless body, but as she waded into the water, she felt her loins strain with desire. “Be sure to clean every part of yourself.” Said Morrigan. Mistress Thorne will know if you miss anything. Especially here,” She said, lightly touching the mound of her own sex, and sending yet another jolt of lust through Ariadne’s body.

They bathed together in what, by all rights, should have been brutally awkward silence. But somehow in this time and this place, Ariadne felt as if in the eye of a hurricane. Soon the chaos and destruction would come, but in this moment, all was still.

They climbed out of the spring, the cool cavern air kissing their bodies. Ariadne reached for the bundle Morrigan had given her. Never had she been so eager to feel cloth against skin. She had almost stepped off that rug, when a hand reached out and stopped her. “Always keep your shoes within reach. And do not let the mistress see you with dirty soles”. As that odd admonition hung in the air Morrigan handed her the bundle, a pair of aging leather slippers resting on top. Ariadne stepped into them. They were simple, but well broken- in and comfortable. She pulled the sheath dress over her head, like the shoes, it was old and threadbare. Clothing befitting a lowly slave, but very, very clean.

As they left the chamber with the spring Ariadne looked at Morrigan. ” Ok, What happens next?” she asked resignedly.

“We go to see Mistress Thorne.” Morrigan answered.

Then Ariadne found the nerve to ask the real question. “What is she going to do with me?” They walked along in silence for a moment. “I do not know. It is very hard to know what Mistress Thorne will do.”

“I’m betting you have a very educated guess,” Ariadne replied. “Morrigan considered this a moment.

“You are of tiefling descent?” Ariadne nodded glancing down at her clean lavender flesh, her head suddenly very aware of the weight of the horns cresting her temples. “You are of infernal blood, you are young, and you are… beautiful.” She said the last part looking anywhere but at Ariadne. “I expect she will make you an acolyte. Like us. But she will want to test you first- See that you know what to do with your body.” And there is the matter of Lillith’s … indiscretion. That will play a part, I’m sure. ”

“I’m a slave, now.” Ariadne said dejectedly.

“The alternative is far worse,” said Morrigan. Ariadne remembered the emaciated and empty creatures hanging in cages from the rafters, and knew that the woman was true. “What do I do?” she asked, resignation in her tone.

“Show her obedience. Convince her you’ll do anything she asks; and above all show her a ‘you’ that drips with lust.”.

They reached an oaken door that opened on a large room that could only be described as plush. There were no chairs, no sofas, only dozens, upon dozens of pillows, cushions, and throws strewn across thick piled carpeting. “Mistress thorn will be here soon. I’ll help you as much as I can.” She stepped in front of Ariadne. “Get on your knees.” The Girl had knelt and folded her heels beneath her ass before Ariadne had even had to think about it. She couldn’t even say why, no woman and certainly no man, had ever made her even think of kneeling before them, but she’d sunk to her knees without a thought. And what was more; she liked it. Loved it. She wanted her to tell her to do other things in that husky, decisive tone. Had she been charmed? She didn’t think so. Her head was clear but her nipples were hard and rubbing against her dress. her pussy felt hot and wet.

“Lay your hands in your lap, palms up.” continued Morrigan. “Sit upright, looking straight ahead. Only look at her if she says something to you that requires a direct response.” Ariadne settled into position trying not to betray the rising heat in her core. “That is the wait position. Be waiting for her like this. She will like that. Answer everything ‘yes, Mistress Thorne. No, mistress Thorne. Thank you, Mistress Thorne.”

Morrigan turned away from Ariadne. “She’ll be here shortly. I should go.”

Ariadne passed what felt like hours waiting for the oaken door to swing open and her life as a slave to begin its inexorable march. Finally she heard the creaking of the heavy wooden door. She marshaled her courage sitting up straight, resisting the overwhelming urge to turn in the direction of the sound as Attricia Thorne entered the room.

THE END