A Drow's Dilemma Ep. 14: Celebration

Author's Note:

A Drow's Dilemma began as a one-on-one roleplaying project and has been converted into a chapter-by-chapter format for weekly posting with the permission and assistance from my partner. It will contain a considerable amount of sexual themes such as femdom, lesbian, straight, 'reverse' rape, BDSM, group sex, romance, and other themes. The main goal of the story, however, is to tell an epic tale of adventures, gods and goddesses, fae, and nymphomaniacs. This episode and every episode to come will be available for free on Literotica for the foreseeable future.

*****

Episode Fourteen: Celebration

Given how focused Caleldir was on talking, he had not noticed Ashyr's sudden interest in her armor. He did notice when she slipped past him when they were both on the way out and grabbed his rear. That temporarily stunned him in place. By the time he thought to return the gesture she was too far away. Cursing his slow reaction time, he followed her down the stairs, bidding her farewell as she left to go hunting. "Now, what should I do?" He wondered aloud.

"Set up these lanterns." Dravyon interrupted.

Caleldir jumped slightly before turning towards the nondescript man. "I did not see you there." He said somewhat worriedly.

Dravyon shrugged. "No one ever does." A slight smile curved over his face. "So, you and Ashyr? Finally. The two of you were giving the rest of us ulcers with the sexual tension between you. I suppose she finally had enough and just jumped you?" Caleldir's expression verified this. Dravyon nodded. "Gurzan leaves for one day and already you are fucking the dark elf. I cannot say I am surprised. But no matter. I have 538 lanterns still to hang. Go use that telekinetic trick of yours to put the high ones in place."

Not particularly wanting to continue the conversation, Caleldir obliged. For the next few hours he clambered around the town levitating lanterns into artistically and aesthetically pleasing places. He was quite proud of the effect it had. Adding some minor light magic to them to keep them glowing indefinitely, he rubbed his hands together and turned back towards the inn. It had been a few hours since Ashyr went out. She should be back soon.

--

Hunting hadn't been all that great; all she had were a few rabbits. More importantly, Bard looked as if most of his energy had abated. The wolf even seemed moderately more obedient. The drow went straight into the kitchens and gave Fucking the brace of rabbits directly. "Sorry for earlier, big guy." She told him in a surprisingly soft tone. After all, Celeste's last request was that the little goblin was taken care of.

"It's okay. Fucking fixed it." He said, though he looked well-pleased.

"Ashyr, there you are!" Lotta said with a happy smile. The redhead took the drow by the arm and led her out of the extremely busy kitchen. "We're setting everything up outside. I'm sure there's something you can help with."

Ashyr twisted her mouth ruefully. She'd kind of hoped that she could get away with just bringing the rabbits. Her sour expression melted from her face when she saw the setup in a largish field in the center of town. Never had she seen so many people cooperating so well. A bonfire had been set up to one side, a large animal carcass roasted above it. There were hundreds of lanterns that glowed in various shades of reds, yellows, and blues. Brightly colored cloth hung lazily in the breeze. She could only imagine what it would look like at night. People were still bringing out tables and chairs for everyone to sit in. It looked as if a few of them were well on their way to being drunk already. She smiled even more broadly when she saw Caleldir and he met up with them.

"Isn't it great?" Carlotta asked. She bounced in place with the excitement of it. "I love our feasts." She looked over to the other woman, then her expression grew contemplative. "Is that what you're going to wear?"

"Um." Ashyr asked, looking down at herself. She didn't like where this was going...

"I think that that is the only outfit Ashyr owns, to be honest." Caleldir stated. "Not very festive, I may say, but the only thing I own is a single plain belted tunic, so I cannot blame her."

Carlotta heaved a heavy sigh at the both of them. "I suppose that's the case with most of Artur's crew. The guards of Port Afron seem to have a thing against feast clothes." The redhead's twisted her mouth in thought. "Dressing all fancy is one of the best parts..."

"You are correct." Caleldir said wistfully. "I had this very nice silk and velvet affair in deep black and rich blue that made me look quite dashing. I fancy that some overweight Port Afron bureaucrat has had it refitted by now. A grave tragedy. Then again, perhaps I will just illusion up nicer clothes..." Caleldir stood still in thought, musing over the mechanics of an illusory suit. He could just put on a cloak, then use some minor magic to change the color and apparent texture of his outfit...

The human looked back over to Ashyr, her eyes roaming critically across her body. "Maybe I can do something for you, Ashyr..." Lotta proceeded to wrap her hands around her waist, moved them down to her hips, then further up than before to briefly gauge the size of the drow's breasts. The last part was done with a flash of a naughty smile on Carlotta's face. Ashyr seemed baffled, but at least the sour expression that had previously crossed her face melted. If it involved groping, she was all for it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Caleldir observed Carlotta taking Ashyr's measurements in a rather unprofessional way. It was somewhat sexy, in a way, but seemed rather inefficient. He shook his head and went back to seeing if he could give his tunic the texture of silk.

"Let out that hem, borrow that -oh, and I have..." Then the small woman ran off into town.

Ashyr watched her go with a mixture of amusement and confusion on her face. Then that signature grin crossed her face as if she realized something she hadn't initially thought about, something that was never too far from her mind. "There's one thing about dresses I might find interesting." She decided out loud. "You, too." Ashyr said as she glanced slyly at Cal. "One could do very interesting things without even taking it off."

Ashyr roused him from this all-important experimental process. "Oh?" He asked noncommittally. "And what sort of thing would that be?" If he had been thinking on the topic, he could very likely have guessed at her meaning, but it was fairly clear that he was preoccupied.

"Maybe you'll find out later." Ashyr said with amusement to the clearly distracted Caleldir. "I'll let you figure... that out." She said with a vague gesture towards his outfit. "I think I'm going to make myself scarce before someone realizes that I don't have anything to do. I'll see you when the feast starts." Then she, too ran off in the general direction that Carlotta ran.

"I will see you as well." Caleldir said in reply. "Looking forward to it. Although, you probably should help..." He shook his head. She was already gone.

"Hey Cal!" Dravyon said. "You did fine work with the lanterns. Now please help with these tables."

Caleldir sighed. "On my way."

--

By the time the sun was nearing the edge of the horizon, the preparations were mostly finished. People gathered around the dying light of the green dressed in their best feast wear. Half of Artur's caravan were dressed in slightly ill-fitting garments, having had to borrow from the rest of the people. Ashyr hovered at the edges in the shadow of a building. The drow's eyes roamed across the crowd, looking for Caleldir. For once, she did not at all blend in to the shadows. It made her a little uncomfortable.

Carlotta had found a dress for the drow. It was mostly pale lavender with white accents and displayed a lot more open cleavage than was usual for the woman. It was sort of tight on her, and maybe a bit on the short side, but otherwise displayed her body well and in the fashion of the area. She didn't mind flaunting herself in the safety of the town, where swords and arrows were not likely to get anywhere near her exposed flesh.

Caleldir had, with copious amounts of illusion magic and glamour, managed to create an exceptionally fine multi-layered suit and cape: deep black and blue with silver embroidery in understated abstract patterns. Adding to that a rather silly feathered cap that he somehow was able to pull off flawlessly, and he looked every inch the dashing hero of folklore (he still needed a sword, though). After 'entertaining' Dravyon with a story about how a legendary swashbuckling adventurer gave him these clothes on his deathbed in order that he may succeed him: Caleldir began looking around for Ashyr.

He found her with a little less effort than normal. Upon seeing her, he stepped back and let out a small, appreciative whistle. "Wow, Lady Duskhaven." He said admiringly. "You look amazing."

A pleased smirk flashed across Ashyr's face. She practically strut out of the shadows of the building toward him. "I always look amazing, Sir Hissael." She boasted for all the town to hear with all to confidence in the world. The drow walked until she was just a little bit too close to him. She fingered the edge of his cape and looked up at his with partially lidded eyes. "That's a fine illusion you got there." Ashyr said, this time a little more softly, but still with her usual grin. Then she got on her tiptoes to whisper close to his ear, "Makes me want to take it all off. Slowly. Piece by piece." Then she sighed, and stepped back away from him. "But I guess that would spoil it. Ah, well." That mischievous smirk of hers turned wicked.

If Ashyr had been looking to see Caleldir turn an odd shade of red, she got her wish. "Ah... I..." He spluttered for a moment before regaining his composure. "Well, I am afraid that it is not actually possible for you to take it off. Because it is an illusion and all."

Ashyr couldn't help it. She giggled slightly when Caleldir turned that lovely shade of red, before a hungry fire lit in her eyes. The drow bit her lip and a predatory look crossed her face. But she rallied herself and brought her mind back to the celebration. "Anyway, I think people are sitting down to eat. Care to come sit with me?"

"Of course I would prefer to sit with you." He responded. "Gurzan is out of town, so you are my only real friend here." A thoughtful look appeared on his face. "Then again, friend may not be the proper word... I suppose that would be lover, and I have never had another. So I suppose you would take priority over anyone else in the universe at this point."

She let out a pleased laugh when he said that she took priority over everyone in the universe. "You know, I do think the feeling is mutual." It felt cheesy to say, but it felt right. Of course, it wasn't saying all that much in her case.

Artur and Dria were standing on a small platform, and had the look of people preparing to give a speech. Ashyr noted with amusement how close to each other they stood. She and Cal were clearly not the only ones getting acquainted with each other's bodies. As soon as the drow noticed that people were beginning to sit, the troop leader called out for everyone to do just that. The town bell rung twice to summon anyone out of earshot.

When the town bell had rang twice, Caleldir turned again to Ashyr. "As unpleasant as it is to break up our tête-à-tête here, we did promise that we would talk with Carlotta at the feast. Shall we find her?"

"We'll find her later." Ashyr said dismissively. The redhead wasn't in immediate view of them, and it was growing crowded. The tables had to be set fairly close together to make room for the bonfire and space for dancing. Absently, she intertwined her fingers with him and let him to a table mostly filled by fellow troop members.

Once it looked as if most of the people had gotten themselves seated, Artur motioned for everyone to quiet down. Then, with a charismatic smile, he began. "Good evening everyone! You all must be starving, so I'll keep this short." His expression grew serious. "I know we haven't had the best of luck recently-"

Someone from the troop yelled out drunkenly; "That's an understatement!"

"Okay, our fortunes have been complete shit." Artur amended. Some people laughed. Others emptied their cups in several big gulps. "And everyone from the troop must be wondering what to do with ourselves. I stand here today to let you know what I plan to do, and I invite anyone who wishes to join me in those plans. We are still a family!" He paused to let everyone cheer or otherwise agree emphatically. "For now, I will rest. The universe seems to want me to go on vacation for a while." Scattered laugher. "After that, I think it's high time to travel! Just think - exotic places who have never seen our act before, waiting to be entertained! That is my goal: to spread the good feelings that can only be achieved with laughter and tears. Isn't that what our act has been known for in these lands?" More words of agreement. "I will accept anyone from town when the time comes to leave, and hopefully we will pick up new friends on the way just as we've always done." He shot a smile at Ashyr, which drew the eye of several people. She let out a quiet, embarrassed cough. "But for now? Drink! Eat! Enjoy your friends and family! No hard decisions need to be made tonight." Then he stepped down from the platform and returned to his chair.

Dria stepped up next. "I would like to say that, as always, everyone is welcome here for as long as they want to stay - even the new friends picked up by Artur's Troop. We will find a place for you in our community, should you wish it, As we have always done. Just try not to drink all our booze at once." She said with clearly feigned worry. People laughed. Then she sat down next to Artur. "Go on!" She yelled. "Eat!"

During the speeches, a few servers from the inn and tavern passed out food to each table. When people were urged to eat, all they had to do was serve food from their own tables.

Before eating, Caleldir said a quick word of thanks to the Nameless God (now that he had heard from Him, it was probably a wise move to pray...) then turned to Ashyr. "I was going to ask you about whether or not we were going to stay on with the caravan or take our leaves in order to go rescue your cousin and reclaim your estate (and when we do that, I fully expect to live the life of a noble for a week or two. Probably not a Drow noble though...) but since Artur said 'no hard decision need be made tonight' or something to that effect I figured that we could just talk about inconsequential things. And eat." And eat Caleldir did. While he ate fastidiously and never appeared to hurry or take large bites he still made an astonishing amount of food disappear very rapidly, to the drow's growing amazement (she was taking a more modest approach to eating and drinking). He also seemed to be ignoring Dria's admonition to go easy on the booze, although it did not appear to affect him all that much.

"I was going to let Selene rot wherever she is right now." Ashyr replied with a shrug. "At least for a bit. I'm still kind of mad at her." Her emotions toward that woman were a mess. "But you are right. We shouldn't talk about that. Need to get some tension out of my system before I can think clearly."

"If Selene is... Never mind. I just said we should only talk of inconsequential things. So... on that topic: everything here is amazing! I cannot remember the last time I was able to eat this much. And their wine is almost as good as the monks'. I suppose they kept the best for the feast, since normally it is nowhere near this good." He drank another bottle, then frowned. "I should probably stop before I get myself drunk beyond recovery though." Shrugging, he poured himself a glass of juice. "After all, if I get drunk now, I cannot dance with you later." He stopped, then smacked himself in the head. "Oh! I am sorry. I seem to have rushed ahead of myself. Ashyr, would you like to be my partner in the dance tonight?"

The drow glanced at the space for dancing. "Uh." Said said, but paused to think for a moment. "I do not not how to dance your surface dances." She said thoughtfully. A grin flashed across her face as she remembered parties of the Underdark. "I have seen them, and they seem a lot more... chaste than what I'm used to. I will attempt to dance if you wish to."

Wiping his mouth with his napkin, Caleldir frowned a bit. Unconsciously, his eating spree was mostly to make up for all the calories he had burned dying so much recently, but he just knew that he was suddenly ridiculously hungry. He was finally full now, and feeling way better for it. "Frankly, I am not all that experienced with modern dances either." He replied. "I predate even the 'ancient traditional folk dances' that they use around here. Not to mention how licentious these dances are: after all, they involve people of the opposite gender touching more than just their hands together. Shocking." He shook his head, keeping the grin out of all but his eyes.

People by now had gathered in the space designated for dancing. The band was already playing, but it looked as if people were doing their own thing for a while. Not everyone was done eating, after all. The people in the band were mostly from the troop, Ashyr noticed. They played a happy tune that one could dance energetically to.

Standing up, he offered Ashyr his hand. "Of course, in addition to the formal dances, there are also the more informal dances where each couple dances in their own way. Perhaps you would not mind showing us some traditional Underdark dances? As long as they do not involve anything too horrible, that is."

"It depends on your definition of horrible." Ashyr said with a light smile. She took his hand and stood. "Hmm... Do you suppose taking my dress off in the middle of the dance is out of the question? It always seems to happen in Underdark parties. No - don't answer that. I think I know the answer. Perhaps if I were wearing underwear I could. Next time maybe I'll remember." She said with affected nonchalance. She was facing the gathering group of dancers, but snuck a glance over to her partner.

The expression on Caleldir's face was probably worth Ashyr's remark. He opened his mouth to respond, but shut it when she told him not to answer. Apparently Drow were never ending fountains of depravity and debauchery. Not that was at all surprising. Stifling down his remarks: both the mischievous 'that sounds like a dance I would like to see!' and more conventionally (for him) horrified rejections of the previous, he merely shrugged and led her into the dance.

The dance she chose was chaste by her world's standards, but she noticed it involved quite a good deal more closeness and touching than necessary. She proved to be as graceful and athletic at dancing as she was at everything else she did.

Although Caleldir was not opposed to taking the lead, and would have normally, Ashyr was quite a bit more forceful than him and so he quickly deferred to her lead. It was probably a matriarchy thing. Not that he was opposed to that. Frankly, it sounded like a lot less pressure. The dance she chose was not bad either; perhaps last week he would have been scandalized by how much their bodies touched, but now that sort of complaint just seemed silly. He started out the dance rather clumsily and uncertain, but as soon as he grasped the movements he was able to dance nearly as gracefully as his partner, although he still needed to think about his movements.

"How have you managed not to learn to dance these modern dances yet?" Ashyr asked. "You been a guard for this troop for... how long?"

Caleldir was slightly startled when she spoke, having been concentrating too hard on the dance. "I have beeen in the troop for three years. And I never said that I did not know how to dance; I said that I was not very experienced with them. I can actually dance them quite well, if I do say so myself. I just am not confident enough to teach someone else."