Chapter Three: Trials Toward the Desert

A warm sensation burned in his stomach as he stared intently at her chest, his hazy mind started to clear whatever he had drank was now starting to take effect. Sigurd's heart began to race as he took in the princesses form, a familiar excitement rushes through his veins "of course, it would be an honor... My love" for a split second the words didn't sound right but it was gone. "I'll do anything for you, just say the word"

Sigurd didn't respond to her command, well not verbally. Quickly but not frantically he disrobed and climbed into the bed with the princess. His mind filled with nothing more than the urge to please her. Crawling between her thighs he made his way up to meet her lips and kissed her deeply. His arm wrapped around her waist as he pushed his already throbbing member deep into her wetness, she had been expecting him alright. He was accepted into her warmth easily enough but it still felt as if there was a tight clamp around him that caused him to shudder and lean forward biting her neck and growling with passion.

Peanut let out a high pitched moan as Sigurd pushed inside her. The sound was quickly muffled by his lips that is until he bit her. Her squeals of pleasure rose in volume as he worked in her. As she lost herself in the passion, sje completely forgot that she left her door open....

---

As they entered the structure and thr others were led forward, Ashwyn slowed as she heard something strange. It was like a squeal. She frowned, tuning in her sensitive ears to find the sound. It took a moment but sje finally recognized the sound as moaning. She smirked. Well, someone around here wasn't shy.

She lifted her foot to keep walking but then froze. A deeper groan sound. She knew that sound. She knew it very very well. Her eyes widened in shock and, at the same time, her fingers curled into a fist until her knuckles glowed white.

She listened carefully for a moment, and then turned towards the sound and ran.

Zane turned as Ashwyn left. "hmm? Where is she going?"

Confused, Lo turns when Ashwyn runs off. "Ashwyn? Where are you..." she was already gone, no point finishing the question. Turning back to Cirro, she smiles and pats his arm. "Uhm...I don't mean to be rude but I need to find out what's bothering her. She usually doesn't just run off like that." Releasing her grip on his arm, she turns toward where Ashwyn ran off to...but not in any real hurry, her human ears aren't telling her anything useful.

Sigurd breath was already heavy as he pounded away inside the princess. His hands slide down her sides and underneath her grabbing her soft behind and using the grip to aid him in pushing deeper inside his new love. Each rhythmic slapping of flesh the sparkly dust puffed from her wings filling his nose with her sweet scent and sending waves of pleasure through his body. Thoughts of his companions were gone and his mind was concerned with only one thing. Breeding the princess.

When Ashwyn ran off and Lo made to follow Zane hurried off after them. "But..wait, where are we going?" He called after them.

Brock and Cirro were left confused. "What's the matter?" Brock asked, hurrying to follow after them as well with Cirro just behind him.

Ashwyn followed the sounds being made through the twists and turns of various rooms and hallways, stopping every now and then to pin point direction again. It was difficult to follow a sound when it echoed against every wall. Luckily her tracking skills had allowed her practice with this sort of thing. She turned a corner and ahead of her was an open door where the sounds seemed to be coming from. And this door was different than the others she'd passed. It was open, first of all, and the room beyond was much more brightly colored than the ones she'd passed. She ran for it and stepped inside.

As she stood in the doorway, she noticed several things at once. First, the spilled class of red liquid. Second, the room smelled sickly sweet. She hadn't noticed the scent coming off of the Princess earlier but it was so concentrated in this room that she couldn't miss it now. Third, was Sigurd's clothing on the floor. And last, and most importantly, was Sigurd and the Princess wrapped in a heated embrace.

The last image caused a strange sensation inside her. It felt like someone had punched her in the stomach... with a knife... and each moan was another turn of the blade. But then something else took over. Her eyes narrowed. Her fists clenched. She reached to her back for her arrows on instinct, but she was weaponless. Didn't matter.

The Princess had her eyes closed and was just enjoying Sigurd's impressive skills. So loud were her own moans that she didn't notice Ashwyn.... at least, not until the fist connected with her jaw.

With a strength she didn't even know she had [rolled a nat 20 on STR check! wootwoot!], Ashwyn had charged into the room and taken hold of Sigurd's arm. She'd yanked him off of her and down to the floor. And in the same motion she'd replaced him on the bed and connected her fist to the Princess's face.

Sigurd felt like he was melting driving his hips harder and further with every thrust he could feel a familiar pressure building in his core but that pleasure was cut short when he felt himself be pulled from his lover's body. Spinning around he turned to see who had interrupted him.

He watched Ashwyn click the princess in the jaw and in an effort to restrain the princesses attacker Sigurd grabbed her from behind and locked his arms around her and lifting her off the ground "Ash, what the hell are you doing!? You can't hit the princess!" He barked. Catching the scent of his mate sent a pang of pain in his head and he nearly dropped her, but no he had to protect his love. Even from his mate.

Ashwyn had pulled her fist back and was about to send it back towards the Princess's head when Sigurd grabbed her.

<"Ash, what the hell are you doing!? You can't hit the princess!">

"Watch me!" She shouted back, pulling against Sigurd's arms.

Zane and the others had been trying to keep up with Ashwyn as she twisted and turned through the building, so by the time they'd figured out where she'd gone they'd missed most of the action. However, the scene they came in on painted enough of a picture. Sigurd and the Princess naked. The Princess mostly unconscious on the bed. Sigurd holding back a struggling Ashwyn who was shooting daggers at the Princess.

"Oh dear..." Zane mumbled, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

"Peanut?" Brock asked, rushing in to see if the Princess was alright. He checked her and found that she was not quite unconscious, but she'd have a sizable bruise the next morning. He stood up and watched the couple struggling for a moment before he caught the scent in the air. "Oh Peanut..." he groaned. He lifted his large moth-like wings and beat them a few times, fanning the thick cloud of smell out of the room.

Cirro frowned. "Oh no..." He knelt down to the liquid on the floor and sighed. "Peanut, how could you?" He asked as he inspected the liquid.

Brock looked down at him. "Is it?"

Cirro nodded. "It is... Philter of Love. If I would have known it was her who'd taken it..."

Brock nodded. "I know. I know..." He frowned.

Unfortunately, even in her rage, Sigurd was still stronger than her. Ashwyn finally stopped struggling and turned in his arms, kneeling on the bed and looking up at him. She placed her hands on either side of his face. "Snap out of it, Sig. Please? She's charmed you. Can't you see that?" Desperate to get her mate back she leaned in and kissed him as passionately as she could muster.

Sigurd smirked "rediculous, I'd know if I'd been charm-" his words were cut off by her kiss a chill ran up his spine, but it was a conflicted chill. On one hand there was the the love he had for Ashwyn burning in him but his eyes glanced over to the princess sprawled out on the bed her wanting scent still thick in the air.

A sharp pain shot through his head and he let go of Ashwyn and stepped back. "Something... Isn't right..." He looked at his mate and took in her form and huffed there was conflict in him and it bothered him so much.

Walking in slowly behind everyone else. Lopiena misses most of the action but she heard the 'Philter lf Love' discussion. Not an elixir she's exactly familiar with, but it's effects are well known to her. The sickly sweet scent in the air only adds to her growing rage. This...this is worse than the time Gramma tried to sedate her to make sure she didn't run away from the fertility ceremony again! And Sigurd wouldn’t have the advantage of recognizing the effects until it was too late. This is worse than seduction and rape. Furious at the princess, she can't very well punch her in the jaw....the others are surrounding her and Lo isn't the type to push others out of the way only to cause physical violence on another...but she can help Ashwyn, at least.

Striding over to where Ashwyn and Sigurd are struggling together, she grabs him by his enlarged member and starts pulling him towards the door. "Ashwyn, we need to get him away from the scent. It's messing with his brain. And...keep kissing him, true love is the best antidote to this vile stuff. If he releases, so much the better...it'll help reduce whatever is coursing through his blood right now."

trying to get head straight Sigurd filtered through his thoughts trying to sort out what was happening. He loved the princess and wanted nothing more than to see his seed spill from her.. but Ashwyn was his mate.. and he loved her... There wasn't any time to make an objection to either when he felt a gripping sensation on his manhood that caused his eyes to snap open, there was a rough tugging on his member as Lopiena guided him towards the door, it was firm but gentle and felt his own resistance caused her hand to inadvertently pump his shaft

There was a gentle grunt from Sigurd as he pulled Lopiena back towards him trying to get her to stop, but it was too late, a rush of white fluid escaped his tip as the head arched upwards, spreading his seed up the young druids chest and face if she wasn't able to dodge it. "Lopiena! I am so sorry..." he panted... "That was meant for the princess! Your hand...I uh... your face..."

Ashwyn had been to distracted with Sigurd to notice Lo striding forwards. That is until she grabbed Sigurd's sizable erection. Her eyes widened for a moment and she couldn't help but smirk at the gumption the little druid was showing just then.

When she started pulling him out of the room, Ashwyn followed, keeping her hands on his arms. She just nodded dumbly at Lo's instructions. When Sigurd erupted, coating Lo in his hot semen it caused Ash to gasp in surprise. He really HAD been worked up!

Cirro was suddenly at Lopiena's side guiding her. "Come with me. I've had to deal with this potions affects before." He said and ushered them into a room a couple of doors down. Once inside, he closed the door to cut off any lingering scents. This room was a bedroom also but much more subdued. It had various weapons lining the walls along with religious icons depicting the Goddess Mielikki and the God Sylvanus.

"This is my room. We won't be disturbed here." He explained. He ushered them towards the bed and then leaned in to Ashwyn. "Do whatever you can to distract him." Then he turned to Lo. "I'll need your help." He took her hand and pulled her away from them and to a table in the back corner that had various herbs and vials on it.

Ashwyn watched them go, her mind racing. What could she do? She took Sigurd's face into her hands. "Focus on me, Sig." she said softly. She could still smell the Princess's scent on him. And if she could smell it then it was likely twice as strong for him. What could she do to get rid of it? Swallowing any embarrassment she might have had, she reached down with one hand and removed the small clothes portion of the outfit she'd been given before urging Sigurd down to the bed. "Do you really want to fill her before me?" She asked, pressing her core up against his still throbbing member while her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Wiping her face with her clean hand...that had worked even better than she'd hoped, but the expanse of his excitement was a bit of a shock...Lo quickly follows Cirro to the table with herbs. Recognizing a few, she starts helping him gather the various vials and herbs needed for the antidote, but at a certain point she stops.

"Thank you so much for helping with all of this. I recognize these, but the rest I'm not sure about. Please let me know what more I can do to help."

Sigurd smiled at Ashwyn's advances "of course, she's my true love. The princess wants a strong generation of faeries and what my love wants I'll gladly give, even if it takes several times to make sure she's properly conceived children." He said matter of factly. A shiver rolled up his spine as he felt his mate grinding against him "while I appreciate your advances" he gave a quick shudder as he was still sensitive after his last climax. "I have to save my strength for the Princess.."

Ashwyn tried to ignore the burning pain his words brought her. She knew it wasn't him speaking, but rather the potion.

"Sigurd please..." the tears were gathering in her eyes making it difficult to see. She tried to push them back and tell herself it wasn't personal. But it wasn't easy.

Cirro and Lopiena were working furiously at the table. Mixing various ingredients together. "If this was just a simple case of the Philter then we would only have to keep him away from her until the portion works its way through his system. It usually lasts an hour or so. But she combined it with her fairy dust. I don't know exactly what that will do, but I know it's made it much stronger." He explained. He poured their concoction into a small vial. It was a milky gray color.

"We have to combine it with something of Ashwyn. Like you said, true love is the key here. It can be anything. Blood. Saliva...."

"Give it to me." Ashwyn said, interrupting him.

Cirro looked over at her and nodded. He handed her the vial.

Ashwyn never took her eyes from Sigurds and she was still holding onto him tightly. "I really hope this works..." she said before pouring the vial into her mouth. She swished it around a bit - it tasted terrible - and then she kissed Sigurd again, forcing the liquid into his mouth.

Cirro watched with Lo. "This may not even work. It's designed to counter act the fairy dust but not the potion. I'm only hoping that it will lessen the affects and allow his love for Ashwyn to overpower the potion." He whispered to Lo.

Sigurd pulled back from her face but it wasn't enough, Ashwyn had kissed him deeply and forced the foul liquid into his mouth, he had no recourse but to swallow it. The taste was almost too much and he pushed her off of him only to stagger to the side of the bed coughing and sputtering trying to get the taste off his tongue. A fuzzy feeling washed over his body and he shivered as his head cleared more than it had been since coming inside the building. "God, what the hell was that..." Sigurd growled at Ashwyn.

His nostrils flared trying to catch the scent of the room, it wasn't stale but it was very sterile, wood and metal, the fairy Cirro, Lopiena, The smell of the remnants of his seed on Lopiena... and Ashwyn. Flashes of their time together flickered in his brain and moments of her were replaced by the princess... but not?.. He grabbed his head again. "What the hell has this place done to me!" he growled.

Ashwyn fell backwards when Sigurd pushed at her. She watched him as he grabbed his head and she frowned, hoping the potion was working.

She pushed herself from the bed and over to Sigurd. She held his arms tightly though not enough to cause pain, if she would even be able to do that. "You've been under a spell. Cirro and Lo made something that's supposed to help. Please look at me." She pulled his face up to look at her.

She looked into his eyes and saw the confusion there. "It's not this place, love. The Princess put you under a spell. I gather because she wanted you to help her produce offspring. But I'll be damned if anyone breeds with you before me." She growled, mostly at the Princess but she wasn't there to growl at so it was just sort of a growl at the room.

She focused back on Sigurd and took his hands and placed them on her bare hips. "Feel me, Sigurd. See me. Please focus on me." She pushed herself against him.

Cirro and Lo were in the back of the room and Cirro had a worried expression. It seemed that the vial had helped at least. He seemed more coherent and he wasn't babbling endlessly about the Princess. Ashwyn's cloak like dress hid most of her actions from his eyes, but he hoped that whatever she was doing and saying would help.

Sigurd still felt an intense feeling of love towards the princess his memories were clouded and kept changing back and fourth between her and Ashwyn, he looked her dead in the eye and sighed. More lucid than he had been before he just spoke low and simply "bring me my clothes. Keep her away from me." Deep down he knew he had been charmed. It angered him.

Biting his tongue he stepped away from Ashwyn and shifted to his hybrid form. Until he had clothes he would at least have some decency... Whatever was left after you're discovered balls deep in the matriarch's daughter. Steadying his breathing he willed his erection away and back into its sheath. Sigurd sat on the bed methodically clenching and flexing his hands as if trying to circulate his blood to pass the potion faster. He knew as long as Peanut was out of his sight he'd be okay.

Ashwyn turned to Cirro and Lo when Sigurd asked for his clothes. They nodded and quickly left to fetch his clothing.

Ashwyn watched him silently, unsure what to do. She wanted to help but she didn't know how. She silently put her own clothing back on. That obviously didn't help at all. Cirro knocked on the door a moment later and Ashwyn opened it.

"Here." He said and handed over the clothing Sigurd had been given. "We'll be outside." He said with a nod.

Ashwyn nodded back and closed the door. She approached Sigurd and lay his clothes on the bed. "Cirro said the potion should be wearing off in another half hour or so." She spoke softly as she knelt in front of him. A moment ago she was desperate to hold him if for no other reason than to get her scent in his nose and distract him from the Princess's wilds. But now she was afraid to go near him as he tried to focus. So she just sat nearby, waiting patiently.

Watching Ashwyn set his clothing down on the bed Sigurd's tail thudded angrily against the mattress. His clawed hands were knitted together and his leg bounced as he sat in silence. He was in a battle with himself, his quiet resolve and willpower stopping him from flying out of this room and back into the princess's clutches.

occasionally his lips would roll up into an almost snarl but would relax again, snorts of frustration and the folding back of his ears denoted his frustration with the situation and himself. Finally he shifted back to his human form and got dressed. Without little more than a word he started shadow boxing, sparring with an opponent that wasn't there. He was going to work his frustrations out, clearly sexual release didn't do it so maybe physical exhaustion would.

His form was tight, every movement deliberate, calculated, his strikes full force but controlled. His eyes were focused on his actions and nothing else.

Outside the room l Lopiena's heart finally catches up with her brain. During an emergency, action must come automatically without thought or feeling, but now that they're just waiting...waiting for the poison to run its course, waiting for Sigurd to return to his rightful self, waiting for some repercussions on the princess....Lopiena sinks to the floor and starts to shake. But this time, it's not fear...it's pure rage. She knows the only one to blame in this case is the princess, but she doesn’t have the kind of authority to do anything about her...she can only control herself and her actions.

Slowly turning to look at Cirro, Lo can't keep the glower out of her eyes or the anger out of her voice but she mostly remains calm. "How often does this sort of thing happen? When did you find out the vial of that stuff was missing?"

Hearing the rage in her own voice, she shakes her head. "I know it's no one's fault, no one but hers...I just want to know what more we can expect." Swallowing and trying to sound calm, she looks back at the floor. "Thank you for your help, by the way. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Ashwyn watched in silence as Sigurd dressed and then began sparing with himself. As she sat in silence, her mind wandered. Images of Sigurd with the Princess had been burned into her mind and it reminded her of the knife in her gut. She tried to push it again, remind herself that Sigurd was obviously not in his right mind, but the pain was there just the same. The other emotion was pure, burning rage. She'd dealt with rapists before. They usually had a type. Skulking in dark shadows. Forcing their victims into uncomfortable positions and having their way with them. But this girl.... it was an all new low. Coaxing her victim into comfort with magic and voodoo. She felt her fists clenching again and before she realized it her nails had dug into her own flesh causing them to bleed.

She unclenched them a bit, but the rage remained. Finally, she couldn't sit still anymore. She stood up and stalked past Sigurd, heading for the door....

---

Cirro had been pacing back and forth outside the door, his hands folded behind his back. When Lo looked up at him he visibly balked at the anger in her eyes.

He slowed his pacing and slowly moved his hands in front of him, palms up, in a surrender manner. "Please, I had no idea she was planning this. I've never heard of anyone doing this before." He said, his voice sounded pained.

"He's right. Please don't blame Cirro." Brock came walking down the hall with Zane behind him. Brock looked at Lopiena with grief in his eyes. "To answer your question... we noticed during a routine inventory last week that the vial was gone. We've only ever used that potion to help animals reproduce.To encourage the species growth, you see. We thought it was taken by the same group of youth who played a trick on you earlier. They usually get into trouble and they were appropriately punished. No one denied it so we thought it had been taken care of." He sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Peanut has never done anything like this before. Then again... she's never been interested in any of the males in our city either. She must have been particularly infatuated with your companion. I'm not excusing it." He added quickly, holding his hands before him in surrender.

Zane stepped forward. "The Princess has been taken by the guards before the Queen. Once Sigurd is... better... we are to join them." He said softly. He looked up at the door. "So... have we heard anything?" He asked, his voice hushed.

Sigurd was in the middle of a sweeping kick when he noticed Ashwyn moving to leave for the door, he pivoted on his support leg and spun to catch her with his leg and push her gently back towards the bed "Park it." he said with authority in his voice. "don't you dare do what I think you're planning on doing" he lowered his leg and stood calmly. "we're going to go see the queen. Just like we were supposed to do in the first place" he walked over to the bed and pull back the blankets to the sheet and tore a strip off and wrapped it around his eyes. "You're going to take me there, if the Princess is there I should be fine, I'll breath through my mouth"

He walked towards the door and held the frame looking back in her direction. "Lets grab the others and get out of this damned place."