Bound in Spirals

Author's Note:

This chapter of my story also contains no sex, and I don't anticipate there being any for a few more chapters still. I've considered many times just tossing some in, but I've grown to care too much for this story to ruin it with meaningless sex scenes. Do not fret however, it will happen eventually. I just want to wait for the right time.

Major thanks to my editor, Ed! He's helped me a lot with some good suggestions, along with fixing the numerous typos and grammatical errors that I tend to miss on my own.

All aspects of this story are fictional. Any resemblances to real people are entirely coincidental. All characters participating in sexual acts are 18 years of age or above.

—————

...Pain... 12... Pain... Queen... Pain... I want you to hold onto that for me, will you?... Pain... Hanged... Pain... Love... Pain... Loss... Pain... XII... Pain... Pain... Pain... Pain, pain, pain... Excruciating pain... Pain, pain, pain pain pain PAIN PAIN PAIN...!

———

Sam's eyes shot open and he stifled a yell. 'W-What the hell was that...?' He thought, wiping the sweat from his brow. 'How long was I asleep?' He wondered as he sat up and looked out the darkened window hidden behind the shelves lining the wall.

A thin quilt of red and green covered his body up to his stomach. 'Did she put this on me?' Seeing Theodore was covered by a similar quilt, he guessed it was indeed her who had covered him up. He brushed back the locks of wavy brown hair that had fallen over his forehead. Scratching at the beginnings of a scruffy beard, he swung his legs down from the raised bed.

From a glance, Sam could tell Theodore's condition had definitely improved. His cheeks were flushed now, rather than the sickly pale they had been before, and his breathing was regular. The herbal tea that he'd seen Mother Ranlenn pour for him was now empty, and Sam wondered whether she had forced him to drink it somehow or if Theodore had woken up for a time. He supposed the latter might have been wishful thinking.

'I wonder what time it is... I told Letta that I would check on her when I got the chance, maybe I should go now.' He thought. 'Maybe I can bathe too.' Looking down at his damp clothes he wished he could take a warm shower to help him forget his bizarre nightmare. Turning toward the door, he noticed that the boy who had been in there earlier in the day had disappeared.

He raised his arms above his head and stretched, sighing as his back popped satisfyingly. His head bumped against the sword handle that jutted from behind him. 'I really need to remember to take that off before I go to sleep.' Sam shook his head and started for the door. As he stepped into what he guessed was the waiting room, a voice spoke.

"Bout time yer wakin' up." She said. Sam jumped and his right hand had started to reach for his sword before he had to force himself to stop. In one of the light colored wooden chairs, sat the woman who had escorted them to Mother Ranlenn's when he arrived. She laughed. "Didn't mean to make ya jump, boy. Sorry bout it."

"Ah, I. Er... No worries, I just had a bit of a nightmare, so I'm a little jumpy I guess." Sam managed to fumble out. During which, he was trying to place her accent. Her 'sorry' sounding more like 'seary' and she pronounced every 'T' like a 'D'. "Were you waiting here for me?" He asked, curious about her presence there.

"Yes I were, in fact. Not often we see strangers running in from east, specially not carrying a no legged man and looking like he 'bout to die from tiredness." She said honestly. "And if dat weren't enough, he bring news of the frontline bein' broken. Quite the stir ya caused here, boy. Peaked my curiosity fer certain."

"Oh." Sam said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. 'Did I tell Mother Ranlenn about that?' He wondered. "I'm afraid I don't have anything else exciting to tell you, unfortunately. Do you know where I could get some food? I don't really have any money or anything, but I'm sure I could pay you back some other way instead."

"Bah, I don't need nothing from ya, I can fix ya up something myself. Come on over to my house, my daughters'll be right pleased to meet someone new." She said as she stood, beckoning him to follow her. "Come, come. It'll be mornin' soon enough, ya can eat breakfast with us."

He followed her out onto the dark street. The crisp night air tickled his bare arms. He felt the hard, cobbled road beneath his feet. It felt cold through his dirt caked socks. The woman looked back to him and began walking. He took the chance to look around at the buildings that he'd been too preoccupied to care for earlier. Not one looked alike. Some had slatted wooden roofs, others had stone, some were even metal. Most were one story high, but two and even some three story buildings were peppered around the town.

Most of the houses were shabby looking, their wooden walls infested with termites, or their paint cracked and faded. Houses made of brick or stone appeared occasionally as Sam followed the woman through alleys and across narrow streets. She walked with the confidence of someone who knew the area well.

"I never got your name earlier, ma'am." Sam said as he hastened to catch up. "I'm Sam by the way. Oh, and thanks for helping me bring my friend to Mother Ranlenn earlier."

"Me name is Dandeery." She replied after a moment. "But, ya can call me Dee. That's what most do."

"Ah, then nice to meet you, Dee." Sam said, glad he was lucky enough to have found a kind person. He smiled lightly as he trailed close behind her.

Finally, she stopped in front of a small house. Dim light peeked through the slats of blue painted wood, and he heard soft voices speaking inside. She opened the gate connected to the low fence around the house, and stepped in, holding it for him. He nodded his thanks as he strode past, into a small yard. Dark and light stepping stones paved a patterned path to the front door, and small plants and flowers dotted the yard.

"Welcome to me home." She said with a broad smile, and led him to the door. As she pushed it open, the light spilled out and Sam had to squint while his eyes adjusted. The low chatter cut off as they walked in.

"Lorry, Darlie, I brought back dat boy I was talkin' ta ya 'bout." Dandeery said. "He gonna eat breakfast with us and tell us stories about how he came ta be here."

Sam stiffened and winced, at the last thing she mentioned. He wasn't a very good storyteller, nor did he think he had many he could tell. 'Shit. What can I tell them? Nothing of earth, that's for sure.' He thought nervously. 'I'll just say I'm from a faraway country or something I guess, and I can't mention Letta...'

As he looked around the small room, he saw two young women sitting at a wide, oval table. The shabby, white painted armoire to the left of the table was open, revealing an aged looking clay dish set. A thin candle dripped wax onto the dark wood table that was warped and worn smooth with use. An odd looking painting was framed on the wall behind the women, the colors seeming to have been splashed together with abandon.

The women were now looking at him with wide, yet drowsy looking eyes. Immediately, he noticed one of them was very beautiful. Her light auburn hair caught the lantern light and it shimmered slightly as she turned to them. Her eyes were a dark blueish green and her face appeared smooth and lean. Her white, cotton shirt was tight and showed ample cleavage. He thought she must be in her mid twenties. She smiled at him and he felt his cheeks warm suddenly.

Sam fidgeted under her stare. Looking away, he noticed her sister sitting next to her. She was slightly plump, and her hair was a light brown color, similar to his own. Her dark brown eyes looked up at him and sparkled with intelligence. Her garb was noticeably finer. The silky, green dress loosely framed her form, silver scrolls lining it all the way to the top of the high neckline. She appeared to be a little younger than her sister, two years he would have guessed. Even with her chubby face, he thought she was quite pretty as well.

"I, Um... Hi, I-I'm Sam." He stammered, his right hand reaching up to rub the back of his head he did a quick wave with his left.

"Hello, I'm Lorry, and this is Darlie." The younger one said, gesturing to her sister. Sam's eyebrows rose as he noticed she didn't have the same odd accent as her mother. He thought she sounded really similar to Samson, vaguely similar to a British accent.

"Hiya Sam, nice to meet ya!" Said the auburn haired Darlie, in a cheerful voice. She definitely had the odd accent. Sam wondered why Lorry didn't.

"Please. Sit, sit." Dandeery said, pushing him to one of the open chairs. Before he could do anything, she already had pressed him into the chair across from the two women. "Food'll be ready 'fore ya know it."

He wiggled uncomfortably, his sword's sheath was digging into his back. Reaching back with his left hand, he released the bind holding it there. He leaned it against the wall next to him, and looked up to the two women. Both had an eyebrow raised as they observed him. He recoiled slightly and laughed nervously. "It was a little uncomfortable..." He explained.

"Mother, you didn't say he was a mage?" Lorry said, looking at Dandeery who was scampering around with various wrought iron cookware. She began starting a fire in the fireplace. The polished white stone stood out in the small kitchen area, reflecting the firelight off the glossy surface.

Sam was taken aback that she had figured that out just by watching him remove his sword. "Cause I didn't know it." She replied absently. "I jus' brought em to Ranlenn's. He look like he an adventurer though, all tall an handsome. So, I bring him home fer you two."

Sam flinched. The two women across from him were looking at him again. Lorry gave him a sympathetic smile and shrugged, and Darlie seemed to be scanning his body. His cheeks flushed under her piercing gaze. He felt like he was sitting there naked as her light eyes came to his face. Her smile was a touch predatory as she met his eyes. He fidgeted with his hands and tried to think of something to say.

"I... I'm just a normal guy, nothing special really." He said anxiously. His right leg was jumping with nervous energy. 'I don't like this... Maybe I should've just stayed back with Theodore.' He thought.

"You're too modest." Lorry said. "A male mage who carries a velta sword cannot be a mere normal man. You are a noble, yes?"

Sam's eye twitched as she said the name of the metal. 'Goddamn, this woman is really perceptive. I think I need to be more cautious.' He thought, then spoke. "Ah, I'm not a noble. I'm dirt poor, really." He forced a laugh as he said it.

"Hm, I see." Lorry replied. "Very interesting."

'Crap. I probably should've said I was one.' He scolded himself, not showing any outward emotion.

"Lorry's a mage too. She just come home from Stralden to visit. Ma an I are real piped for her!" Darlie said, sounding proud. "Lor, tell em about your academics and such."

Lorry smiled at her sister, then turned to him. "I'm a bind mage as well. I've been a student at Estrill Women's College in Stralden for the last eight years. A scout found me here on the day after my twenty-fourth birthday." She said. "Currently, I am studying the connections between magic and animals, familiars in particular."

As if on cue, a small creature walked in from the door that led to the back of the house. Sam jumped, but settled when he realized it was only a cat. It's beige fur stiffened at his sudden movement, and it looked to Lorry. It seemed to relax as she nodded to it. He noticed some faint patterns that crept along the top of its head, and saw a familiar intelligence in it's eyes.

"Wow, eight years, huh?" Sam said absently, focusing on the cat.

'Wait, eight years?! 24?! She's 32?! She looks like she's younger than I am!' He thought suddenly. 'Jesus. This whole not aging thing is gonna take time to get used to.'

Not betraying his thoughts, Sam spoke again. "Sounds like an interesting topic to study, I don't know much about it personally. Is it difficult?"

"Well, it is among the most complex uses for bind magic, but on smaller animals it is not too difficult for one above C class, with a little practice. Though, for those below C, it is near impossible for anything larger than a squirrel."

Sam's eyes widened in surprise, but neither of the two women seemed to notice. "I see..." He muttered, his thoughts turning to Letta. 'I really should check on her when I'm done here.'

Suddenly, the cat leapt onto the table and sat in front of Sam, staring at him intently. He blinked and leaned away from it. It's slitted silver eyes seemed to be seeing into him somehow. It was unnerving. Out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw Lorry's brow furrow in thought. Darlie seemed to be confused as well. He tried to avert his gaze, but his eyes seemed to be drawn to the cat's. As he stared, he thought he could see faint glimpses of whitish-gray patterns in the darkness of the animal's pupils.

Finally, the cat turned from him and looked to Lorry before hopping down from the table. It stalked silently out of the room. "He told me that he can feel an immense power in you, Sam." Lorry said, breaking the silence.

"Eh?" Sam said, shaking his head as he broke from his daze. "He? The cat? How can he feel that?"

Lorry nodded. "Animals seem to have a certain sense for magic that humans do not. I don't know if anyone has figured out why or how." She said.

"Huh, that explains..." He said, then trailed off as he realized he was speaking aloud. He shook his head again. "Does he do that often? Tell you someone is powerful?"

"No, this is the first time Neril has said anything like that in the three years since I bound him." She said, biting her thumb and looking down. Sam thought he might be able see her brain working if he looked hard enough. He rubbed his head, worried that Lorry would try to make him go to Stralden if she found out about his magic.

Fortunately, Dandeery came to the table, carrying four plates on a wooden tray. By that point, Sam had almost forgotten why he'd been there in the first place. "Wow." He said, looking at the full plates of food, surprised at the array of colors. He'd been expecting bacon and eggs, something simple. "Thanks a lot, er... Dee. I haven't eaten anything the last few days." He said, almost absentmindedly as he looked at the food.

He felt drool already filling his mouth as the smell wafted to him. 'How did she manage to make all this? Have I been here that long?' He thought. After she set down the tray, Dandeery went back to the small kitchen and returned with a steaming teapot and cups.

"It's not a thing." She said with a wide grin, and he took it town mean it wasn't a problem. "Go on then, boy. Eat up! Don't sit er lookin' like a thirsty granul."

He nodded and took the plate closest to him. He picked up the two pronged fork and began eating the food without a second glance. 'I got no idea what these berries are, but I could eat them for the rest of my life.' He thought as he wolfed down the small pink fruit. They were sweet with a touch of sour, tasting almost like strawberry and banana mixed, and they were gone in a matter of seconds.

He noticed tea being poured into a cup next to his plate, but ignored it for the moment as he lost himself in the tender boiled meat. The meat was the only thing he recognized on the plate. He was almost certain it was beef, but there was something different that he couldn't identify. Before he knew it, he'd finished the assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables too, and looked up to see that the others were looking at him.

He blushed and rubbed the back of his head, his embarrassment obvious. He laughed nervously. "I, uh... I did say I was hungry, didn't I?" He said. "Um... Can I have seconds?"

Dandeery blinked. "Ya, course. Lemme get it." She said and stood, leaving her untouched plate. She took his and went back to the kitchen. By the time she returned, Sam had started telling the story of how he'd gotten to Eltinn. He left out anything he thought might be too strange, he did not want to be harried when he and Theodore needed to leave.

He ate the second plate of food much more slowly, savoring the unique tastes, and sipping the bitter tea every once in a while as well. "Yeah, after the last winnem died a few miles out of town I had to carry him the rest of the way." He thought he told the story well enough, but Lorry still looked at him with a knowing smile. Sam was fairly certain the other two had believed it by their enamored expressions, fortunately.

"I plan on leaving Eltinn as soon as I can though, I don't think I can get Theodore the necessary help here." He said.

"Yer probably right bout that. Be best if you get em to someplace more fancy." Darlie said, leaning her elbows on the table. "Well, Ma an I need to get off to workin'." She finished, turning to Dandeery.

Sam glanced out the small square window in the kitchen and saw orange light streaming through. 'Jeez, how long have I been here?' He wondered. "I should check on Theodore, perhaps I will see you again before we leave." He said, as all four of them stood up, grabbing his sword by the sheath, binding it to his back again.

"Ah, well I can show you to Mother Ranlenn's, it would not do for you to get lost." Lorry said, her knowing smile returning as Sam tried to hurry out the door. He didn't feel like he could refuse.

"Ya best be careful with the Mother, she's a sever mage ya know. Don't go gettin' on her bad side." Dandeery said, looking serious for the first time since he'd met her. Sam wondered what that was about, but he nodded anyways. She walked through the door into the house, after seeing his confirmation.

As he began to follow Lorry out the door, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, stopping him. He turned to see Darlie pressed close to him. "It would be very... pleasing to see you again, Sam. Tonight, perhaps." She whispered into his ear, her voice soft like velvet and her accent remained only in traces. "Just the two of us..." To emphasize what she meant, she came closer and he felt her voluminous breasts pressed against his arm.

His eyes felt like they were about to pop from his head as he looked down. Her slightly opened lips, wide gleaming eyes, and generous cleavage had him stammering. "I, I don't know... M-Maybe, if I have time." Her tongue darted out to lick her lips for second before she pulled away, smiling slightly.

Sam barely kept himself from sprinting out the door as he turned away from her. As he pulled the door shut behind him, he let out his breath and his shoulders relaxed slightly. He jumped as Lorry spoke behind him. "She's always been like that around attractive men." She said, then added, "or boys..."

Sam spun, trying to keep his face more calm than he felt. "I-I'm used to it." He lied, not realizing how arrogant it sounded until after it was out of his mouth. "I-I mean..."

Lorry giggled. "You're used to it? Well you sure don't look like it with your cheeks all rosy like that. You're as innocent as a child." She said, sounding amused. "That's alright though, I think it's cute."

He blushed even harder, if that was even possible. "Could," He sucked in a calming breath, "could you just take me back to Mother Ranlenn's?" He asked, wanting to be away from the sources of his embarrassment as soon as possible.

Lorry crossed her arms. "Now, now. I don't want you to be sulky the entire time we're out shopping." She said, her lips pressed in a line.

"Wait, what? What do you mean?" He said.

"You heard me. I'm taking you shopping. Mother and Darlie won't let me take them no matter how much I try to, and I need someone to play dress up since Neril won't let me anymore." She said, speaking as if he had no choice. "I need someone to spoil with all the spare coin I have."