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Roric was entertaining a lovely harem girl when Gisley flew in the window, her eyes full of panic.
“Roric!” Gisley cried and rushed to him, nearly tackling him to the bed. “They are coming for Hannah!”
Roric sensed the alarm and fear in Gisley's voice as he sat her on the bed and asked her to explain herself clearly. She explained that Jaina had uncovered who the agent was and that she was moving on Frank and Hannah that very day. It was a woman named Juliesta, who was eager to collect what she referred to as samples from Hannah and her family. These samples would be used in some process to replace them and assume control. What that meant and how far that control would go was unclear, but the threat was obvious. Roric bid his harem girl to fetch Rajeen and the other masters for an emergency meeting. She ran off as he asked why Jaina and the others hadn't come.
“That woman is on the road,” Gisley replied. “She’s riding a horse on her way here, and Evalynn thought it would raise suspicion if they followed her. They are going to leave an hour from now to make sure she doesn’t see them. They told me to fly as fast as I could and get ahead of her to warn you.”
“What does she mean to do by replacing them?” Roric asked.
“We don't know,” Gisley said. “But whatever it is, it's meant to give her control of the harem or the kingdom or something.”
Roric understood the danger and took her hand to lead her back to the palace chambers. Rajeen was already present, looking alarmed as she rushed to Roric.
“What has happened?” Rajeen insisted.
“Somebody is threatening the harem and intends to strike at it through Frank and Hannah,” Roric replied. “Gisley only has sketchy details, but it's enough to paint a dire picture. I will have her explain it when the others arrive.”
Rajeen nodded and took her place as Frank, Hannah, Blackbast, Zillix, and even Chandice filtered into the room. Breanne, Quinny, and Umtha arrived a moment later, looking as if they had been interrupted from something personal. Gwen was last, walking into the room in a resplendent gown that she quickly shed and joined the girls completely naked and at their master’s feet.
“Why were we told we are in danger?” Frank asked as they climbed the steps to sit on their thrones.
Roric explained that they had uncovered a hostile agent working on some plan that sounded dire. He then helped guide Gisley in explaining what she knew so the entire assembly had all the details.
“She’s going to replace me?” Hannah asked as she sat back in Frank’s lap. “Replace me with what?”
“She didn’t say,” Gisley said. “And I am only repeating what Jaina told me.”
It doesn’t matter what she plans to replace you with,” Rajeen said. “All that matters is she is arrogant enough to try. If this replacement allows her to gain control of any part of your power, then it has to be stopped.”
“Nobody is going to replace my daughter,” Gwen said firmly. “I would know it wasn’t her.”
Rajeen assured her that they knew she would know the difference. Roric pointed out that surely Frank would know with nothing more than a kiss. That seemed to placate people, but it didn't answer the question.
“I wish we knew what that meant,” Frank said as he held Hannah tight. “And why does she need those magical samples to do it?”
“It has to be some kind of magical creation,” Chandice replied. “A clone or a copy based on the material you provide it.”
“Is there such a magic?” Rajeen asked, but all Chandice could do was shrug. She had never heard of it, but magical components were only used in the creation of magical items. She highlighted a spell that allowed a player to make a small demonic imp from their own blood and tissue samples. Maybe there was a more advanced version of the process that could create full copies of a person.
“A copy she could control,” Blackbast spat.
“But what happens to the real me?” Hannah asked. “It's not like I will go away and let her take over.”
“She must have a plan for that,” Frank replied. “Some method to get us out of the way and keep us there.”
“A prison to hold you in,” Roric agreed. “Which means she has a plan to remove you.” The others discussed how that could happen as Roric tried to understand the complexity of it. Even if somebody could make a clone of Hannah, the others would know it, wouldn't they? Would it smell the same to his senses or have the same social settings, showing her as both married and Gwen's daughter? He had to believe that it wouldn't and, as such, would be easily revealed.
Hannah worked that out herself and voiced it to the group, pointing out that she would not be offended if they asked to see her character sheet. In fact, if she refused to show it, they were to immediately restrain her and submit her to testing to verify her identity. Frank and the others also agreed to these measures, creating an oath to remain fully open.
Roric was pleased by these measures but disturbed that they needed them. He didn't like that a plot like this had barely been discovered and worried what might have happened had it not. They needed to take more measures to protect their family and explore how others might attack them. Chandice wanted to look into the idea of making a zombie-like clone of another player and if anyone else had done some research into it already.
Frank and Hannah asked what they should do with this woman, and Roric listened to the suggestions. They wanted to catch her in the act and then question her about what she wanted the samples for. Roric didn't like the idea of letting the woman into their midst or leaving her alone with Hannah. They suggested Hannah and Frank could be together, offering the woman a threesome. That was better, but Roric suggested they play it even safer. They would wait for Jaina to arrive, and she would impersonate Hannah while dealing with the woman.
“Doesn’t that leave Jaina open to just as much danger as I would have been in?” Hannah asked.
“I would rather she faced the wrong person and didn’t realize it,” Roric insisted.
“But didn’t you tell us the other day that Jaina felt compelled by her,” Frank said. “What if she can influence Jaina and escape with her?”
Roric hadn’t considered that and now worried his plan wouldn’t work. Then, a beautiful woman with breasts like a goddess stood up and said she would be in the room with Jaina. Gwen cited that her level and power would make her ideal to deal with any danger. She would remove her collar and face the woman as herself if needed. Roric didn't like the idea of Gwen giving up her hidden identity, but then there was another danger to consider. What if this woman could influence Gwen and turn her against them? Gwen refused to believe the woman was that powerful but Roric and Rajeen agreed a few additional measures should be taken. Five of the best magic wielders in the harem would be present in the temple, and all magic use would be heavily monitored.
Frank would be kept out of sight, and Julliesta told he wasn't available. She would be offered Jaina instead and told she was currently playing with another harem girl. She would be welcome to join them if she was interested in having two girls to help her rest.
The hope was she would take the bait and retire to a private room where Jaina and Gwen were already engaged. The two women would eagerly welcome her into their play and help her relax while Roric, Rajeen, and Blackbast watched in a magic mirror.
Zillix then offered a brilliant suggestion. He could wander about the room disguised as a cat, pretending to be nothing more than a temple pet. It would certainly fit Blackbast's theme, so they agreed to let him be in the room as a second means of defense. If Julliesta proved to have a trick up her sleeve, then Zillix might be just the thing to stop it.
With the plan made, the group used the magical doors, moving to Blackbast's temple to get ready. A room was chosen for the encounter that put the woman as far from the exit as possible. This was to help prevent an escape in the event that things went wrong. Additional women were hiding in the temple gardens if she managed to get out that way. Thankfully, Jaina and Evalynn arrived shortly thereafter and were quickly brought up to date with the plan. After a quick kiss Jaina was able to copy Hannah'a red devil form perfectly, even mimicking her voice.
Roric and Gisley now stood in the room, wondering when the woman would appear. If Jaina had reached them, then Julliesta had been in the city for over an hour. Jaina sat on the bed beside Gwen while Zillix, already in his cat form, purred in Gwen's lap.
“It is so hard to believe this is an illusion,” Gwen said as she stroked the dark-furred animal.
“I don’t think they are illusions,” Jaina replied.
“Chandice said it registered as illusion magic,” Roric reminded. “He has a talent for making them real when he needs them to be.”
“Isn’t that creation magic?” Jaina asked.
“Maybe it’s transmutation,” Gwen offered.
Roric shrugged but smiled as he looked into Jaina’s eyes to see the dark slits over red pupils. She looked exactly like Hannah down to the last detail, though she lacked the woman’s devilish warmth. He hoped Julliesta wouldn't know Jaina was supposed to be warm to the touch, but then he wasn't sure it would get that far. They expected the woman to act quickly and try to collect her samples. Judging from what Jaina heard on the estate, it wasn't necessary to kill them to get it. Still, how would she get a blood sample without at least injuring them?
A knock on the door brought him around to see Frank, who informed them that Julliesta had just entered the Jade Temple and was asking about the private encounters.
“So it begins,” Gwen said with a determined face.
“We will be watching everything,” Roric said as he joined Frank by the door. “Frank and I will be here in seconds if anything goes wrong.” He shut the door behind him and followed Frank to Blackbast's private chambers, where a magical mirror allowed them to see any part of the temple. They would watch everything carefully to see what they could learn and intervene when needed. The entire royal family was present, as were his girls, waiting to be called to action.
“So we have no idea how powerful this woman is?” Hannah asked as she sat on a nearby bed.
“None whatsoever,” Evalynn replied as Gisley paced nervously.
“What if she’s stronger than Gwen?” Gisley asked as her antenna rolled out.
“I doubt that is the case,” Hannah said dismissively. “Jaina felt compelled but still managed to resist her. She may be higher than me, but she is no match for my mother.”
“I wish we knew what class she was,” Rajeen growled as her tail lashed.
They watched the mirror, and Jaina and Gwen began to kiss and rub, getting into the mood Julliesta expected to find them in.
“It’s disturbing to watch myself make love to somebody,” Hannah said. “Do my breasts really hang down that much?”
“Your breasts are a thing of absolute beauty,” Breanne said to lighten the mood.
Roric found the banter helped take the edge off, but it came right back when the door opened. Through the mirror, they watched as Blackbast entered the room and introduced Julliesta to the pair of women. Blackbast played her role perfectly, flirting and encouraging her pets to help the woman relax. Julliesta smiled as the door shut, then turned her gaze on the pair of naked women on the bed. She removed a small pack and set it on a nearby table before beckoning Jaina to her side.
“She looks shady,” Quinny said with a frown.
“She has that look of arrogance,” Evalynn agreed. “The kind of look a predator has when the prey has no idea it’s being hunted.”
Jaina crawled off the bed, going on hands and knees with her long tail swaying. She came right up to the woman and pulled at her dress, begging her to join them.
“Wow, that crawl was sexy,” Frank said.
“Oh, so now you want me to crawl at your feet?” Hannah asked.
“Maybe just a little,” he replied, earning a few giggles from the girls.
Roric sighed as the scene unfolded, and the women came together in kisses. Rajeen took his hand for support, sensing how tense he was that Jaina was in the line of fire.
“She will be fine,” Rajeen assured him. “That room is so heavily surrounded I doubt Kevin could get out.”
“We don’t know what she’s capable of,” Roric replied. “I wish we had those arm bands like Alexandria uses. At least we know she couldn’t use magic to carry them away.”
“If that fool were to use magic, we would be able to follow them,” Rajeen assured him.
“Those armbands are very useful,” Evalynn agreed. “Nobody can harm or steal a girl from the estate while she wears one.”
Roric wished they had a similar thing, but there was no way to implement it now. Blackbast arrived to join them at the mirror as the three women fell into the bed, kissing and petting.
“Has she done anything unusual?” Blackbast asked as she reclined in Frank’s arms.
“Nothing yet,” he replied as the scene advanced.
The women played with passion as Julliesta admonished them for being beautiful. She then asked Jaina a series of questions about why she would become a slave girl in a harem. Jaina answered in Hannah's voice, saying that she found the act of surrendering to be the greatest thrill of her life. She had also learned that her husband had a secret harem fantasy and wanted to fulfill it. In the end, though, what changed her mind was the love she found in being part of the harem. She was surrounded by girls with a true passion for service, and the male masters treated them all with great respect.
Julliesta seemed pleased with that response but then asked why she was whoring in the temple. Jaina masterfully explained how Blackbast was tied to the temple, causing distress in their relationship. She and her family agreed to join Blackbast in service so they could spend a lot more time with her and share in the dream she had.
“She really understands us,” Breanne said.
“That’s because she sleeps with our husband every chance she can get,” Hannah replied.
“She sleeps with you every chance she can get,” Frank corrected as Quinny laughed.
The banter helped lighten the mood as Julliesta crawled into bed with the women and began to make love. She punctuated the experience with questions, asking Jaina why she had played a monster player. Jaina mimicked Hannah perfectly, saying she hadn't chosen to come here. She was abducted and thrown into a world she didn't understand. The only person who would help her was Frank, who she slowly grew to love. When the chaos began, all Hannah cared about was finding a way to stay with Frank. He was a monster player, so she picked one as well, choosing a race he would find appealing.
“She’s amazingly good at lying,” Rajeen said.
“She weaves the lies into the truth to make them difficult to separate,” Blackbast agreed.
They watched as the group made love and talked, with Julliesta steering the conversation. She pried into the kingdom's future and how Hannah intended to stave off the coming trouble with the north. Jaina played it off as if she didn't believe there was any trouble coming causing a laugh from Julliesta. The pirate woman insisted that danger was coming, whether she believed it or not. She suggested Hannah, Frank, and all their wives reset again, this time picking hero players.
Gwen looked irritated, but Jaina held the discussion, stating she didn't care what people thought. She was here to enjoy her life and bring happiness to her people. If that offended anyone, they could do what they felt they needed. That made Julliesta frown and withdraw from the bed before going to the bag she placed on the table. She drew something that fit into the palm of her hand, and suddenly, the mirror went black.
“What happened?” Roric asked as his ears went up.
“She has blocked the magic,” Blackbast said in alarm. “She knew we were watching.”
“Then we need to get in there,” Frank urged, but Hannah put a hand to his chest.
“Wait,” Hannah said as she closed her eyes. “Webster, move closer so I can see all three of them.”
“Webster is in the room?” Quinny said with a wide smile. “You can still see what is happening?”
“I asked him to hide under the dresser,” Hannah replied as she focused on looking through his eyes. “I can see everything.”
Roric was impressed with her resourcefulness and relieved to hear that Julliesta wasn't harming the girls. Zillix was perched on a chair nearby, watching like any ordinary cat would. Hannah explained the entire scene as Julliesta took out a small bag, and there was a swirl of white mist in the air.
“Jaina just fell asleep, but Gwen doesn’t seem affected,” Hannah said in shock. “Wait, Julliesta has a knife. Oh my gosh, she stabbed Jaina!”
“What?” Roric cried as they heard an explosive crash that shook the temple.
“Zillix just pounced on her,” Hannah said, then winced before looking to the others. “Get in there fast. Gwen is going to kill her!”