"Breathe deep, pretty flower," Lilac said, and the entire clearing
moved
.
Every leaf, every flower, every blade of grass swayed as a gentle breeze began to blow. Small ripples formed on the pond's surface, reshaping what little light still came over the trees into brilliant patterns.
Looking around in wonder, Myrtle noticed something strange: all the flowers seemed to have turned towards her. As she prepared to ask Lilac about it though, it hit her.
The flowers smelled, and it was
incredible
. It was the same sweet fragrance as that of the flower Lilac had given her, but turned up to eleven. It filled the air around Myrtle so completely, that Myrtle could have thought there was no air left. Not that she would mind if that were the case; the aroma was simply
heavenly
.
It took her a few moments to realise she'd been doing exactly as Lilac had instructed, filling her lungs with as much of the flower-scented air as they could contain.
Lilac got off the rock she was sitting on and sat behind Myrtle. "Isn't it wonderful?" she said, as she started massaging Myrtle's shoulders.
It was, it really was. The flowers' aroma caused a pleasant numbness to spread across Myrtle's body, and it wrapped around her mind like a soft blanket. Those sensations melded seamlessly with Lilac's massage, and it was all Myrtle could do to not close her eyes and drift off.
Some part of Myrtle found that concerning, but as she tried to tense her limp muscles, Lilac leaned forward and whispered, "Shhh, shhh, shhh... You are safe, pretty flower.
Relax.
"
Myrtle's body obeyed almost before her mind had time to process the word. No, not the word - the
command
. That final word, softly spoken though it was, was a
command
.
And Myrtle...
liked
it?
Yes. Yes she did. She
liked
breathing in the sweet aroma of the flowers, letting it sedate her mind, and doing as Lilac said. It was simultaneously thrilling and unspeakably relaxing, and any part of Myrtle that wanted to resist it was quickly succumbing to the flowers and Lilac's incredible massage.
"Good girl," Lilac cooed, sending tingles all the way down Myrtle's spine. "Good,
good
girl..."
A placid smile took shape on Myrtle's lips. She found herself being eased backwards, and her head came to rest on Lilac's lap; Lilac's captivating eyes were fixed on hers.
The nymph had
such
pretty eyes, like bottomless lilac pools. They tugged at Myrtle's gaze, pulling her deeper, deeper,
deeper
... She couldn't look away, but that was okay; she couldn't imagine why she'd ever want to. After all, Lilac had
such
pretty eyes...
Myrtle slowly became aware of Lilac speaking, and made the herculean effort of pulling enough of her attention away from Lilac's eyes to understand the words.
"That's right, pretty flower," Lilac was saying. "You are doing
so
well. Breathing in my flowers' fragrance, staring into my pretty eyes..." She started running her fingers through Myrtle's hair, and slowly massaging her scalp. "You can let go of your worries, your thoughts, your
mind
... You can be mine, my good girl." She paused, smiling. "Isn't that what you want? To be my happy, thoughtless good girl?"
"Mm-hmm," Myrtle murmured. She did want that, so,
so
much...
"
Good girl
," Lilac praised her, and her eyelids fluttered.
God, it was so difficult to stay awake; soon, even Lilac's mesmerising eyes wouldn't be enough to keep Myrtle's eyes open. Not after she'd breathed in so much drugged air, not when she knew how good it would feel to drift off into a happy, relaxed trance and let Lilac fill her empty, pliable mind with wonderful suggestions...
Myrtle's eyelids fluttered again, and this time she failed to open them all the way again afterwards.