1-52 Pain from the past.

Evalynn shook out her hair as she stared into the mirror, noting the dozens of women lounging behind her. Rajeen's harem was a magical place where women lounged about sharing love, passion, or just sleeping in each other's arms. There was plenty to eat and drink, with tables spilling over with sugary treats and other delights. They were also allowed to wander the inn, flirting with guests and enjoying the atmosphere. Of course, there were private baths, gardens, and an erotic dungeon to keep them entertained.

She loved having all the women to play with and, of course, being played with by them. She also enjoyed the funny smirks and suggestive looks the harem guards gave her after her long day as their plaything. The women heard about her exploits with the guards and asked her endless questions about what it was like. Evalynn blushed as she went over some of the details, making girls giggle as she described how the sex went on for hours.

She was rather surprised that Roric insisted she dance that night, assuming she would be left to the guards for a full day. She didn't know that she would be taken back to the guards after the dance and servicing the customers. She spent the rest of the night and day until the next dance bound and helpless as they repeatedly took her.

Even now, her body ran wet with the memory of that sex, an excited tingle running up her spine. She loved being so helpless before them and knowing the sex would go on and on. To her surprise, the guards had been firm but never rough, always taking their time to enjoy her body. They were careful about strapping her into the bondage devices, ensuring she was comfortable and not in pain. They even took time to rub, caress, and gently stroke her hot skin, soothing away the tension of endless sex. When she was thirsty, they brought her wine, and when she was hungry, they offered her a cock to suck for nourishment. She took many meals this way, filling her stomach and more until she couldn’t swallow another drop.

Unfortunately, the time had come to an end, and she went back to the harem and now spent her nights with the women. As much as she loved the hot lesbian sex, she craved a firm cock deep in her flesh. Roric noted her sadness one night and pulled her aside, asking if she missed the tigermen. When Evalynn admitted she did, he encouraged her to go ahead and make love to them. She was allowed to return to their barracks all she wanted, but she had to spend her nights with him.

She smiled to think of how much she loved Roric and the others. Her life had been lonely and empty for too long as she struggled to fit in. Even when she did make friends, they never lasted as she acted like a fool. Several of the groups she had joined abandoned her or drove her out with insults, laughing at how annoying she was. She rather pathetically clung to the low-level area's venting her frustration over the isolation and her secret cravings. She couldn’t bring herself to come out and admit that she dreamed of being dominated by a beastman. So she turned that frustration around, taking it out on beastmen in some vain hope of finding one who could best her.

Then she met Roric, who turned out to be a slave master with a beautiful girl standing at his side. She smiled to think of how much she had pulled her punches, using very few special abilities. Jaina kept interfering with the fight, using her seductress powers to distract Evalynn. She was grateful because it gave her an excuse to yield and finally dropped to her knees before a beastman. To her surprise, Roric had an ability that enslaved her for a short time, and suddenly her fantasy was tantalizingly close. Her heart started to race when they took her into the wilderness to be alone. Then Jaina knelt and her side and told her that Roric was going to dominate her.

Evalynn felt intense arousal at the memory of that moment. She was both frightened and excited, her heart never beating so quickly. It was finally going to happen, and she struggled to find the courage to go on. It was all she could do to let Jaina know she was ready, and then Roric was on her. It was everything she hoped for and more, with the beastman taking what he wanted. When it was over, she expected to be left behind, like everyone from her past had done. She was always left behind or driven out for being useless, but Roric had another idea. She had never been so surprised when they told her they wanted to keep her. She could remain and be his sex slave beside Jaina, offering her body to his every whim. She will never know what possessed her to say yes, but looking back on it, she was glad she did. Now she had a home, a family, and a place where she belonged. The act of submission took a lot of the arrogance out of her as well, making her far more pleasant to deal with.

“And now I walk around naked,” she laughed to herself as her eyes looked down at her own nude body. She was as beautiful as an elf could be, with flowing yellow hair and plump breasts. Her groin was completely hairless and full, ready for her master to use or sell. She thought of the people she knew before meeting Roric and how many of them had considered her a nuisance. She had been called a looser, a joke, and even unstable, all because she tried to be something she wasn't. She wanted to be a hardened warrior, who stood for noble things, but all most people wanted to do was drink and have fun. They didn't care about playing their role or pretending that they were elves or dwarves or lizardmen. When she tried to be the noble elf warrior with high principles, it provoked laughter, jokes, and derision. She used to get angry about it, often getting into conflict with her teammates. But, now she felt she had mellowed and found her proper place. She loved wearing the slave collar and answering to a master. She felt like all the worry about how to build a life in this world was his responsibility. It was her job to please him and earn money in the most pleasurable way.

She set out into the inn, passing down halls that were restricted to harem girls. She wanted to find Gisley, who was up early and went into the main hall to sing for the morning crowd. Evalynn heard her silver voice long before she reached the main room, as Gisley sang a slow melody that contained no words. There were a few harem girls with her, playing various stringed instruments to lend a wonderful harmony to the song. It was a beautiful song full of magic that warmed the hearts of all who heard it, but it was still nothing like her secret songs. Evalynn thought of the wonderful song Gisley sang under the moonlight as she danced over a magical pond. She couldn't think of a more beautiful scene in all her memories or dreams and longed to experience it again.

Poor Gisley was forbidden to leave the inn or be out of sight of the guards. She had an assortment of harem girls hidden nearby whose sole job was to keep her safe. Roric was worried that the secret of her wings was out and might lead to attempts to kidnap her. Evalynn remembered the comment one of them made about how Gisley would earn a fortune if sold to the right person. They had discussed it the night before, with Rajeen pointing out that fairies were very rare. So much so that Rajeen had only known one fairy before Gisley. It was one of the tiny variety that fluttered about in a shimmer with dragonfly-like wings and insect eyes. Gisley's type was hard to find and highly prized by those who crafted things. Her glitter could be used for hundreds of rare enchantments and even as a component in some spell casting.

Of course, Gisley knew all of this already, and it was the main reason why she only used her wings in secret. The few times she had dared to show them to people, they had become demanding. They would insist she give up her glitter so it could be sold, looking for an easy path to wealth. Their demands would grow until she couldn't keep up, and then they would become hostile. So now, she never let anyone know she was anything but an oddly colored elf, or perhaps a low faerie race. Nobody was to know she was an evolved lunar fairy prostitute who could earn them money through glitter and lust.

Roric was deeply troubled by it and admitted having dark thoughts about what it all meant. He chose not to share them with the others, saying he didn't want to soil their enthusiasm for the future. He changed the subject to Alexandria and how Rajeen's agents had dug up one of her spies in the city. The woman was an assassin of some skill, but Rajeens girls cornered her and brought her in. After a brief interrogation, they learned Alexandria was part of a larger network near the spawns. She didn’t know much about their purpose, but she knew they looked for girls who had just arrived with interesting race or class combinations.

Roric surmised they wanted to lure these girls into a life of service to some high-level player. Jaina argued they could make NPCs for that, but Roric felt there was more of a thrill from having an actual player. Jaina was a rare gem as a shapeshifter and a seductress, but Gisley was a money-making powerhouse. She was a hot commodity as a beautiful and exotic-looking fairy with a highly sought after magical dust. However, adding in that she was also a prostitute with powerful skills for sex, she would fetch a high dollar to a hedonistic player.

It was an uncomfortable thought, but Gisley reminded them how pointless it was to kidnap her. She would simply come to them in their dreams and tell them where she was. Nobody could hide her where she couldn’t be found unless they could prevent people from dreaming.

Evalynn stepped between two tiger guards and smiled at them in recognition. One of them put a firm hand on her rear and began to squeeze, so she lingered a moment to allow him a feel. It was just after breakfast in the common room, but already people were gathering. Gisley stood on the stage in her white dress that made her look like a flower in bloom, singing away for the handful of people watching.

She waited for the song to end while both guards fondled her rear, an occasional finger reaching between her legs. She spread her legs a little bit to give them more access, wondering if any of the guests had noticed. When Gisley was done, she smiled and skipped away, somehow managing to look graceful and playful all at once. Evalynn went across the room, catching a few glances at her naked body, before going through the curtain to the back area where the girls got ready. She found Gisley standing at a table, her purple rear glistening in the light. A few of her harem guards lounged nearby, admiring the pert little rear.

“That was a pretty song,” she said as Gisley sipped some water.

“Oh, Evalynn,” she said with a smile before strutting at her seductively. “I like to see you naked.”

“Everybody likes to see a woman naked,” Evlaynn laughed.

Gisley planted her lips against Evalynn's and both women reached between each other's legs to begin rubbing. It was a hot and erotic greeting that only two slave girls could give.

“So, how is our little fairy this morning?” she asked.

“Good, now that you are here to rub me,” Gisley cooed.

“Ha, Jaina is right. I think you picked this class on purpose,” Evalynn laughed.

“Nope, but I am glad I did pick it,” Gisley said. “I feel so at ease being sexual now.”

“Honestly, from a lot of the manga I read, you would get the impression that all Japanese girls are sexual,” Evalynn countered.

“Well, women around the world are sexual,” Gisley countered. “But in my culture, people tend to be very reserved and focused on achievement. Though, there is a penis festival in Tokyo every year.”

“A what?” Evalynn laughed. “Are you kidding me?”

“It’s called Kanamara Matsuri, but I never saw it firsthand. I have only been to Tokyo once to visit my aunt,” Gisley replied. “I always wanted to go back during sakura season, but I never got the chance.”

“Don’t they only bloom for a few days?” Evalynn pressed.

“Yeah, but they have whole streets lined with them. Actually, a lot of Japanese cities do. The sakura tree is a sort of symbol of our heritage and culture,” Gisley replied.

“I always wanted to visit Japan,” Evlaynn admitted as the two women leaned into one another, their rubbing starting to cause legs to tremble. “But I was part of a poor family, and there was never enough money for a trip like that. I hardly had the cash to enter the translation program and come here.”

“That’s a big thing in Japan, and they don’t charge for the classes,” Gisley sighed as she started to dance on her toes. “The government started programs to encourage the elderly to go, but few of them were interested. We have a huge imbalance of elderly to young people, and it is causing economic problems. Then there is the lost generation, who are trapped in a sort of limbo with few prospects of getting out.”

“I never understood why that is,” Evalynn replied. “If I understand it, companies weren't hiring for a few years, and somehow that meant they couldn't work anymore?”

“You don't understand how our culture works,” Gisley moaned. “Companies like to hire people right out of college, and you are expected to stay with that company your whole life. You are expected to put loyalty to your employer first and show dedication to your task. You can't quit your job to go to another because you will be too old to start over, and by quitting, you show a lack of loyalty.”

“So how does this end up with a whole generation of people not working?” Evalynn asked.

“Because by the time companies started hiring again, they weren't graduates anymore,” Gisley explained. “So they hired the current graduates and said the previous ones were too old to hire now.”

“That’s a bit terrible,” Evalynn replied.

“It's just the way things are,” Gisley said as she shuddered from an orgasm about to break. “There are more factors to it, but that is one of the significant ones. But it isn't all bad because many came to New Eden to start over with a new life and no restrictions.”

“I suppose that’s a good thing,” Evaylnn agreed in a stuttering moan. Both women went quiet as the moment built, the slave collars making it easy to orgasm. They came simultaneously, then shared the orgasms, doubling the effect in a rush of sexual tension. It sent both women to their knees as they leaned into one another for support. They hugged tightly for a moment to pant, then locked lips for a hot kiss. Around them, the harem girls giggled as they watched the sexual display.

“Do you ever worry that we might be too horny?” Gisley asked as they pulled apart.

“Is that possible?” Evalynn laughed as she lifted her slick fingers.

Gisley grabbed her hand and pulled those fingers into her mouth, tasting her own body as Evalynn smiled and shook her head.

“You are a naughty little fairy,” Evalynn said softly and stroked Gisley’s head with her free hand.

“I like being naughty,” Gisley replied after she was done cleaning Evalynn’s fingers. She stood up and straightened her dress, smiling as Evalynn helped. The two then took hands and walked to the curtain as the harem girls fell in line behind them.

Outside in the hall, more people had gathered, sitting at the tables to drink or share conversation. Evalynn stood at the curtain, listening to the closest tables, and noted a tense conversation. A dwarf and a tall bald man with gray skin argued with five others about something.

“I tell you, none of that is true,” the dwarf insisted.

“How would you know?” A human woman with a white stream of hair asked. “There could be a necromancer in the south.”

“We were in the south just a couple of weeks ago,” the gray man said. “We met this so-called necromancer, and she isn't at all what you think she is.”

“So there is a necromancer?” one of the men asked.

“Nay!” the dwarf said in annoyance. “It's a wee lass playing as a flower singer. She came in with a friend who wanted to play as a ghoul, so she chose recluse as her second class. People keep assuming she must be a necromancer because she travels with a ghoul and has a few skeletons around her tower.”

“I heard some group ran into this necromancer while raiding a goblin village. She tore them apart, and their rogue overheard her claim she was a necromancer and would conquer the world,” a tall woman with three eyes stated.

“Aye, that be her,” the dwarf said with a stern eye thrown the woman's way. “But the story is all wrong. She only said that to appease the goblins because they assumed she was a necromancer too.”

“So the ghoul is another player?” the first man asked.

“Yes, and a rather nice fellow,” the tall gray man said. “Though he isn’t fond of paladins.”

“Waste your time going south if you want,” the dwarf added. “But all you’re going to find is a small graveyard full of flowers.”

“Didn't this necromancer rescue that one queen?” the three-eyed woman asked.

“No, the lass did,” the dwarf replied. “She and her friends helped her out, and now the city is open to people ready to help rebuild.”

“A hero player that travels with a monster player,” one of them stated. “She isn't going to be well-liked.”

“She travels with several monster players,” the gray man interrupted. “And she is a kindhearted person of outstanding character. A rare gem in this world. She makes friends readily and never turns down a person in need.”

“It doesn't matter,” the three eyes woman said before shaking out her hair. “Monster players aren't liked, and neither are those who associate with them.”

“You just wait and meet her first,” the dwarf insisted. “Then tell me if you can honestly dislike her.”

Evalynn listened to their conversation with absolute fascination. There had always been rumors of necromancers in hiding, with the occasional sighting always causing a stir. She almost jumped when Gisley ran a hand over her shoulder, leaning on her to listen.

“Another necromancer rumor,” Gisley whispered. “I bet it’s another false alarm.”

“The dwarf and gray man say it is,” Evalynn agreed. “They claim to have met the woman who people are talking about. They say she travels with a ghoul and is a very nice person.”

“But not a necromancer,” Gisley sighed. “Too bad, I hear the bounty on a necromancer is something like twenty million gold.”

“That’s insane,” Evalynn balked but had her suspicions it was accurate. She didn’t know much about the trouble with the necromancers, but she knew the big players hated them. One, in particular, was infamous for his relentless hunting of necromancers, and it was he who paid the bounties. People called him King Kevin the dragon slayer, but he had a few other names that were far less polite. All Evalynn knew was that he had some personal vendetta against them, which had something to do with the dragon his namesake came from.

“I want to hear more of what they are saying,” Gisley said, urging Evalynn to step out and approach the table.

Evalynn swallowed her fear and stepped out, exposing her naked body to the room, and slowly approached the table with Gisley clutching her hand. The woman with three eyes looked up at her approach and frowned disapprovingly but said nothing. Her male companion smiled and looked her up and down with a great deal of approval, causing the others to look up.

“Goodness, lass. You’re a might bit exposed,” the dwarf said and turned his head.

“Harem girls,” the three-eyed woman said with annoyance. “They prance about like little pets.”

“Don't be so hard on them, Tasia,” the other woman said with a nod to Evalynn. “Haven't you ever dreamed of prancing about naked?”

“Not where the whole world can see,” Tasia said and looked away.

“Pardon us,” Gisley interrupted and stepped in front of Evalyn to offer her some concealment. “But, we wanted to ask some questions about this woman in the south.”

“A waste of time,” the man said with a toss of his hand. “Appears to be a florist with poor taste in friends.”

“Her taste in friends sounds rather good to me,” Evalynn corrected. “She sounds like a wonderful person.”

“Aye, she is,” the dwarf said as he squinted to not see so much of Evalynn.

“Oh, you can stop doing that,” Gisley said. “We're harem girls, and nobody cares if you look.”

“I understand that,” the dwarf said as he struggled to open his eyes. “It's just; I feel a tad improper, if you know what I mean.”

“I will do all the looking then,” the man said with a wide grin.

“You are a pig,” the woman to his left said.

“What am I supposed to do? Pretend she isn't there?” he said defensively.

“Can we please stop?” Evalynn sighed. “If it will help, I will put some clothes on.”

“Forgive us,” the gray man said and bowed his head. “Margus and I are aware of this inn's proclivities, and we would rather you were dressed however you feel comfortable.”

“Thank you,” Evalynn replied with a nod.

“But there isn't much to talk about,” Tasia said. “Just another mistaken necromancer.”

“But why are people so upset about necromancers?” Gisley asked.

“Where have you two been hiding?” the woman with the white streak of hair asked. “The necromancers fought a war with the rest of the world, and perma killed hundreds of players.”

“Perma killed?” Evalynn repeated as the term was unfamiliar to her.

“Somehow, they found a way to kill players for good,” the man said. “And they caused quite a bit of devastation in the northeast.”

“That can’t be possible,” Evalynn insisted. “Nobody can kill a player for good.”

“Believe what you want,” one of the women said. “But that’s the rumor as to why they are banned. You can’t trust anyone with a power like that.”

“But it’s just a rumor,” Gisley pointed out.

“Maybe it is,” the woman replied. “But can you explain why the most powerful player on the server forbids them and hunts down anybody who tries to play one?”

Evalynn had to admit that she couldn’t think of a better reason. Being able to kill a player permanently was a powerful reason to carry such a grudge. Still, there had to be more at play. Certainly, there was a part of the story they didn't know.

Gisley asked them if anybody had ever collected the bounty, and sure enough, several had. New players kept picking the necromancer class, not knowing it was forbidden. These players often wandered into town, unaware of the danger. Gisley argued that she had been near the spawns for years and had never seen a necromancer just wander in. The group shrugged and pointed out there were hundreds of spawn points, and maybe she was just unlucky.

The conversation went back and forth as the group slowly began to ignore Evalynn's nudity. They discussed other sightings in the past and how hunters eager to make their fortunes had flocked to the areas. Over the course of the conversation, they learned that the Dwarf's name was Margus and his companion was Eribold, both claiming to be friends of this girl in the south.

They told of how her friend the ghoul had a little graveyard, and she lived in a tower covered in climbing roses right beside it. Her recluse class allowed her to build the tower, and it came with skeletons as servants. She picked it to blend in with her friend's graveyard but still insisted on growing flowers over everything.

Evalynn laughed when they described how this mysterious woman refused to dress like other women. Instead, she wore long dresses and wide-brimmed sun hats tied with ribbons. She was fond of sweet cakes and tea and welcomed people to play in her friend's graveyard. She was even friendly to the local goblins and had once rescued their queen, earning their trust.

“She sounds nice,” Gisley said with a smile. “I hope I get to meet her someday.”

“You are welcome to move to the city she helped free,” Margus said. “It’s practically empty and has plenty of room for players looking to build a home.”

“We have been traveling the north spreading the word that Ellowshire is looking for new residents,” Eribold added. “She asked us to do it to help the Queen recover.”

“Hmm, I doubt our master would want to go that far south,” Evalynn said with a shrug. “But we can always tell him.”

“I don’t want to live in a city,” Gisley urged. “I want a magical forest to play in.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of not building your forest,” Evalynn replied. “I want to hear your songs all day long.”

“She does have a lovely voice,” Eribold said. “We caught her singing a few minutes ago.”

“Aye, sings like an angel,” Margus added.

“Oh, you two are so sweet,” Gisley cooed. “You should come back later tonight for our dance.”

“Ha, I never miss it,” one of the other men said with a smirk at Gisley, who blushed and smiled back.

“All men are pigs,” the woman beside him said as she rolled her eyes.

“We should be going,” Evalynn suggested and took Gisley’s hand. “Our master will be wondering where we are.” She said farewell to the others and turned around to see six people gawking at her as if they had seen a ghost.

“I don’t believe what I am seeing,” a tall man with black skin and small horns said.

Evalynn felt very exposed as she looked at the group of people she had once called her friends. They stared back with wide smiles as they took in her naked body. She felt humiliated that they saw her like this, especially considering how they parted.

“Is that Evalynn?” a short elf woman with rusty red hair said. She smiled with a sadistic grin as the others crowded in closer to gawk.

“Well, well,” an orc man with gray skin and powerful muscles said. “After all the times she turned me down, now we discover she's become a whore.”

“How could she be?” the elf woman asked. “She would be too annoying to fuck.”

“Maybe if you pay her enough, she shuts up?” the black-skinned man said. “Or the secret might be to keep something in her mouth.”

“Hey!” Gisley shouted and stepped in front of Evalynn to offer her some concealment again. “Who are you people to come in here and say things like that?”

“And what is this?” a human woman in ornate robes and leaning on a golden staff asked. She looked Gisley up and down before coming to an abrupt conclusion. “Wait, does Evalynn actually have a friend?”

“Impossible,” the elf woman replied as the others laughed. “But look, they are both wearing slave collars. She must have been ordered to like her.”

Evalynn struggled to contain the shame that was filling her heart as she came face to face with people from her past. At one time, they were all friends, but Evalynn's awkwardness ended that quickly. They had humiliated her, and she had hidden near the spawn for months, hoping they had moved on and gone someplace else. She never believed she would run into them again, especially not while naked and in a slave collar.

“So how much is a fuck?” the orc asked. “I got a few gold coins to waste.”

“You need to get out of the inn,” Gisley shouted. “None of us are for sale.”

“Is that so?” the red-haired elf woman said with a gloating smile. “I hear girls put on a sexy performance at night and then are sold to customers afterward. Is that what you do, Evalynn? Are you a whore with hundreds of men under your belt?”

“Shut up, Tristral!” Evalynn shouted.

“So we can all take a turn at her tonight?” the dark-skinned man asked. “I bet she's super cheap.”

Suddenly there was a blade at the man's throat as a gray-skinned rogue appeared out of the shadows. He had rage in his eyes as he pulled the man's hair back.

“Apologize to her now,” Droslin commanded.

“Droslin, you can’t draw weapons in here,” Evalynn said in alarm as the rogue she shared a long love affair with came to her rescue.

“He owes you an apology,” Droslin said as the man's companions went to draw their weapons in retaliation.

“You fellas are about to be in a world of hurt,” Margus said as he, Eribold, and the group they were talking with stepped away. “Those girls are protected here.”

“So they are the whores who fuck here?” the elf woman laughed. “Ha, I can’t wait to tell, Ojin. He’s going to come back here and fuck her every night.”

Evalynn was reminded of the man who once bragged he would bed her and show her what a real man was and felt a wave of revulsion. She ran with tears in her eyes, dashing through the curtain as the group laughed. Gisley ran after her, fuming with anger that those strangers had hurt her sister.

“Don’t worry slut, we will all be back later tonight for your dance,” the elf woman called as the curtain closed.

“None of you are coming back here,” a woman said, causing all eyes to turn to see a dozen armed harem girls with five of the tiger guards.

A black-haired woman wearing a red mask stood a the front. She wore thigh-high black leather boots with red roses adorned around the cuff. The rest of her armor was a sexy body suite of similar leather cradling her ample breasts in more red roses. Her simple mask covered her face but left her rose red lips smiling murderously. “You have harmed a harem girl and insulted our master. You can leave now, or you can respawn later.”

“This is going to get messy,” the woman with three eyes said as their group backed farther away. “That's Cath, the red rose!”

“Wait? That's a legendary assassin?” the red-haired elf woman asked as she went pale and locked eyes with the woman. Droslin lifted his weapon away and stepped back, leaving the offending group to face the harem girls alone.

Cath smirked as she drew a long dagger whose blade glowed red and had little glowing flower petals falling from it.

“That's the thorn kiss,” the black-skinned man said as his group began to realize they were not safe.

“Choose,” Cath said with a smirk. “Before I choose for you.”

They quickly retreated, heading for the door as every tigerman they passed growled and took a threatening step toward them. In a moment, they were gone, but the damage was done, and Evalynn's self-esteem was shattered.

Evalynn hid in a side room and curled into a ball, crying as she tried to hide her nakedness. Gisley was at her side in a moment, wrapping her in a warm hug to hold her until she cried her pain out. She felt the pain of years of rejection as her mind was haunted by memories of her past. Those people had harmed her emotionally in the past, and now she was humiliated once again. It brought all the torment she had buried deep inside back to the surface, and it manifested as uncontrolled tears.

“Oh, sweety, how can I help you?” Gisley asked.

“Nobody can help me,” Evalynn sobbed. “I am a terrible person.”

“No, you're not,” Gisley insisted. “I love you, and I know Jaina and Roric do too. You are one of the bravest people I know. You never run from a fight and stand your ground even when you are outnumbered. Jaina told me about how you saved her from Alexandria and rescued Roric. You are a champion.”

“I always wanted to be, but whenever I tried, people laughed at me,” Evalynn sobbed. “Nobody wants to be a hero. All they wanted was for me to drink and fuck them.”

“Oh,” Gisley said as she started to piece it together. “Those are people from your past who only valued you for what you could provide them.”

“I just wanted some real friends,” Evalynn cried. “But I always drove people away. Nobody wanted to play the way I thought they did.”

“You have lots of friends now, and you didn't drive those people away,” Gisley said. “You had principles, and they didn't.”

“But what am I now?” Evalynn asked. “Their right. I am just a worthless whore.”

“No, you are not,” Jaina said as she arrived with Roric and a group of harem girls. She ran to Evalynn and joined the hug, shielding her from the rest of the world. “We heard what happened, and Rajeen wants those fools run down and punished.”

“Just let them go,” Evalynn sobbed.

“Sweetheart, what they said to you was cruel,” Jaina urged as Roric knelt before them. They pulled apart so he could take Evalynn into his arms, lifting her to cradle her to his chest.

“Shh,” he urged soothingly while carrying her away.

“I’m sorry,” Evalynn cried. “I didn’t mean to bring my problems here.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Roric insisted. “The fault lies completely with those idiots.”

“I would use a stronger word to describe them,” Gisley said as she and Jaina followed.

“I feel so humiliated, and they will be back tonight to make it worse,” Evalynn said.

“No, they won't,” one of the harem girls called. “They have been banned from the inn. Master Rajeen went personally to ensure they understand it.”

Evalynn curled tightly to Roric's chest as he carried her through the back halls, taking her to Rajeen's private bedroom, where he sat on the bed and held her tightly while Jiana and Gisley sat beside them and hugged her. He gave her a moment to cry and waited until she gained control of her breathing. She lay in his arms with red-rimmed eyes looking at Jaina, who felt helpless to comfort her.

“Those were people from your past?” Roric finally asked.

Evalynn nodded and offered a brief history of her relationship with them. In a strange twist of irony, many men from her past had tried to sleep with her. However, she held to principles and turned them down every time. Now she was a whore who slept with anybody who could afford her and even some who could not.

“Maybe I should just let them fuck me,” Evalynn said. “Let them fuck the whore I have become.”

“Evalynn,” Roric said in surprise. “You are my slave, not a whore, and you have immense value to me. I understand what a sacrifice you are making by wearing my collar. It takes a great deal of strength and self-discipline to surrender your life to another. It marks you as a person of superior character, and I love for you it.”

“You love me?” Evalynn asked as she looked up.

Roric nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. “You are a prized possession, of such value that nobody has enough money to buy you away from me. You are a valued friend and warrior, who I trust with anything, even the safety of Gisley and Jaina. I ask you to do the things you do only because I know you secretly enjoy it. You have a beautiful heart that enjoys obeying your master, and I love giving you tasks to test your boundaries. But I would never ask you to offer yourself to somebody who only wants to harm you emotionally or mock what you are. It is my job as your owner to see that you are happy with all the tasks I give you. Otherwise, it would be abuse.”

“Thank you,” Evalynn replied and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love being your slave.”

“If I knew who to thank for giving me such wonderful slave girls, I would drop to my knees and offer up all the gratitude I could muster,” Roric replied as he rubbed her back soothingly. “I don't want you ever to regret your choice to wear my collar. So I will ask you now, do you want to take it off?”

“No,” Evalynn said instantly. “Please don’t take your collar away from me.”

Roric cradled her head and used his claws to comb her scalp soothingly.

“Shh, If you like, I will promise here and now to never let you go,” he said. “And if you ever question what you have become, always remember this. Many men treasure the moments they spent with you, but those fools, in their arrogance, have lost something special. They will never know the magic and beauty of making love to the most wonderful woman in the world.”

Evalynn started to cry again, but this time they were tears of joy. She realized she finally had a place where she truly belonged and people who loved her. As the warm arms of her family wrapped around her, she thought of the home they would one day build. She was part of something special, and she no longer had to hold on to the pain of her previous mistakes. She was free to love and enjoy her life surrounded by people who genuinely cared about her.

“I love you,” Evalynn whispered as the pain in her heart melted away. “I want to be yours forever.”

“Then I promise you will be mine until time ends,” Roric replied. “And I will delight in every second of it.”

“So will we,” Jaina added as she and Gisley hugged her tighter. “And you will never spend another day alone.”

Evalynn closed her eyes as the loving embrace soothed away her pain. She didn't care what those fools thought about her. She had a life full of magic and wonder. Let them laugh all they wanted. None of it could diminish the joy she had in serving her master.