Book 6: Chapter 42: No more pretending

Book 6: Chapter 42: No more pretending

Whoah," Heather cried as her eyes came open, and she sat up in bed. "That was certainly a dream." She shook her head to clear her wild thoughts and quickly replayed what had happened. She had asked Gisley, the lunar fairy, to use her power over dreams to insert Heather into those of her loved ones. One by one, she made love to women in her life, showing them the affection they had long sought.

For Quinny the road in a magical boat down a meandering stream in the love wood. They eventually arrived at a lake under the starts where Heather nervously made love. For Breanne it was more of a fairy tall story, with the woman arriving at a royal ball dressed like queen. Heather met her as her date and the two danced for hours before retiring to a private space high in the snowy mountains. Umthas dream had been last and was the only dream Heather hadnt altered. Umtha was already dreaming of her long lost home in a tropical valley nestled between tall mountains. In it was a pyramid like temple crowned by a building with a pool. Umtha had come to pray at this temple so Heather rose from the pool like a goddess in answer to her prayers. She let Umthas mind guide every step and played along making it a dream come true. However, she had no idea this was a temple to a goblin love goddess, and what she and Umtha were doing was a proper goblin marriage. Heather was so lost in the passion of the moment she didnt notice the other goblins dressed as temple priests. She thanked the heavens that what happened next had only been a dream because she had no idea how to explain it.

When all the dreams were done, she had one final dream with Jaina and Chandice where she had a very honest conversation. She now had a lot to think about, which was ironic because this course of action was meant to reduce her mental workload.

She took a deep breath as she considered what Chandice had to say. She accused Heather of playing a game, using the collar and the lifestyle as a way to hide from her problems. She was giving up control in the hope that Frank would take it all away, thus shifting the burden to his shoulders. Chandice was only being honest, but the blunt remark made Heather deeply consider her motivations. She was indeed using this as a shield and excuse to ignore the dangers that waited to pounce. She was trying to make Frank responsible for her problems so she could pretend she was just a harem girl.

This cant go on, Heather said softly to herself. Why do I always dump my problems on the man I love?

With a sigh, she put that thought out of her head and focused on what needed to happen next. She looked to the bed beside her to see that only Quinny remained. The zombie woman was awake and seemed to be trembling as her pretty eyes watched Heather intently.

Hey, sweetheart," Heather said while stroking her head. Quinny didn't respond except for tears to begin rolling down her cheeks. "Oh, love," Heather said, reaching down, pulling Quinny to her chest, and cradling her tightly. "Shh, Heather urged, as she felt deep empathy for the dear woman. Youre all right. I wont ever leave you.

Was that real? Quinny asked in a trembling voice as her arms curled tightly around Heather.

Yes, Quinny, that dream was real, Heather whispered. Gisley helped me make it special for you. I just wanted you to know how much I love you.

I love you too," Quinny whispered back and lifted her head high enough for Heather to kiss the tip of her nose.

I am glad you finally opened up, Quinny said.

I am, too," Heather replied as she felt an odd, motherly sensation. She put her head on Quinny's and smiled as she stroked the sensitive woman. They held each other in silence until they were satisfied their love had been established. Quinny then leaned back to wipe her eyes and smiled at Heather as she managed to look bashful.

So, what do we do now? Quinny asked.

We should do something fun today. Why dont you plan a tea party for us, Heather suggested. We will all come as a family and be together like we should have been all along.

Ok, Quinny said, smiling wider than Heather had ever known her to smile. There was a happiness in her eyes that lit up her face as she leaned in for one more hug. I love you so much, she whispered. I will go check on my forest, then set everything up. Will you be at the inn later so I can find you?

Heather nodded, and Quinny climbed off, revealing her long slender body. Thanks to the magic of the slave collar, the poor woman no longer looked like a zombie, but Heather still saw the woman inside. She got up to help Quinny dress and shared a few tender kisses as they made light jokes about what had happened. Then Quinny headed off, leaving Heather alone in the bedroom to contemplate her next actions. That moment of introspection was interrupted when Breanne came to the door and nervously met Heather's gaze. Heather could see the woman was twisting with uncertainty about what happened in the dreams. She hated to see how emotionally pained her family had been waiting for her to open up and threw her arms open to welcome the elf woman in.

Breanne walked to her arms, and they settled into a warm hug before Heather kissed at her neck. "I hope you understand that dream was real, and I meant everything I said."

Oh, thank goodness, Breanne said as she panted, her worries and tensions finally relieved. "I was terrified that it was just a dream."

It was a dream, but I was real. I wanted to express my love for you in a way that would be special and memorable, Heather explained.

Well, I certainly wont be forgetting that, Breanne replied, her voice now relaxed.

I am sorry it took me so long, Heather insisted while stroking her back. "I just needed some time to understand."

Please, dont be sorry, Breanne said and leaned back to share a slow, tender kiss. I would have waited ten years for a moment like that, she added when they parted.

Well, moments like that will come regularly now," Heather asserted and looked deep into her eyes. I never want you to doubt how I feel about you. You are my wife, and I want the world to know it.

Hmm," Breanne replied with a happy smile. "I can't believe we are saying things like this. I never thought you and I would end up together. I always thought you were Frank's and I would have to find somebody else, but then we met Jaina and Roric, and we all understood what we could have."

Well, I think Blackbast did try to suggest it a few times, Heather pointed out.

Yes, she suggested it," Breanne agreed. "But we couldn't appreciate it until we saw it in action. Once we saw the beauty of that relationship, I think we started to wonder if we could have that for ourselves."

I know Frank did, Heather laughed. Who knew my boyfriend had a secret harem fantasy?

I think we all kind of began to see him as the man in our life, Breanne admitted. But it didnt really come to a head until the Grumosh incident.

That sneaky cat planned that, Heather said. She knew we needed to be put in a situation where we had to admit it, especially me.

Well, she had our best interests at heart, Breanne agreed. But the timing was perfect. We had been traveling with Jaina, having our eyes open to having a less traditional relationship. Then Grumosh came along to threaten what we could have, forcing Frank to act. If he hadn't been so bold, we would have continued pretending we didn't want what we have now."

Yeah, but I knew even before then," Heather admitted as she thought back. "It was just one more thing I was pretending wasn't happening."

Heather, we all do that, Breanne said. Every one of us chooses what we will face and what we will ignore. Sometimes it is impossible to face every challenge and situation that comes our way. For the sake of our sanity, some things have to be ignored until we are ready to face them.

I suppose, Heather agreed and smiled when Breanne pulled her into a hug.

Don't suppose, understand," Breanne urged as she rubbed Heather firmly. "I love you and finally feel like I have a home here." She paused to enjoy the hug, then pulled away and straightened her dress. "You should get dressed and go to the balcony. Umtha woke up in a particularly emotional state this morning. She wouldn't tell me what happened, but I believe she needs to talk to you."

Heather nodded, and they had one more brief kiss before Breanne left the room. She took a moment to clear her mind and prepare herself for what would come next. Umtha's dream had been particularly emotional, with a tormented Umtha dreaming of her home world. As part of that dream, Umtha imagined going through a religious ceremony dedicated to a goddess that clearly meant a great deal to her. It was a cultural way for two women to marry and be united as one forever. Heather participated in that ceremony, allowing Umtha to dream of her marriage. It had been a beautiful moment of love right up until the priests arrived. Heather felt trapped as refusing to continue the ceremony would have devastated Umtha, but making love to the priests hadn't been part of the plan. She silently hoped Frank hadn't been watching, but she was almost certain Blackbast had.

It was only a dream, she repeated to herself while putting on her yellow dress. She took her sun hat from the post of a nearby chair and took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror. Something about that image made her feel uncomfortable, and she approached the reflection to ponder it.

Who am I? Heather asked the reflection. Who was I before this? Was I a good person? Am I a good person now? Is Chandice right that I am only hiding from the truth? Should I be pursuing a relationship when I have so many people around me eager for my affection?

The image didnt respond, but the more she thought about Jaina and Chandice the more she began to regret what she had done. Quinny had been deeply touched by their encounter, and Breanne was relieved to know it was real. Her family was hungry for her affection and yet she was looking to Jaina and Chandice to be her girlfriends. Did she really want them as girlfriends, or was this just one more way to try to hide?

What am I doing? she asked no one in particular and looked down. Why would I need anyone outside of what I have? She looked back to her reflection and understood the truth. She was trying to insulate herself from the truth and Jaina was just a way to help do that. By pairing herself with the slave girl, she could pretend she was just like her, and thus not responsible for her actions. All that burden was put on Frank, and it wasnt fair for him to carry her baggage. She needed to talk to him and she had a good idea how to find him. With closed eyes, she reached across her magical connection to Webster. He was in the graveyard, standing on a tombstone while watching Blackbast and Frank talk.

I will deal with them after Umtha," Heather said and headed for the balcony, where sure enough, Umtha was leaning against the railing at the far end. She looked lost in thought as her silky green hair drifted in a gentle breeze. Heather was struck by just how beautiful the goblin woman had become. She was in nearly all ways as finely crafted as an elf, with slightly longer ears that stuck out instead of back. Her eyes were a little longer but with an exotic shape that made them hard not to stare at. Her skin was a soft creamy green and smooth as a rose petal. Her full chest, narrow waist, and curvy hips were as feminine as they came, yet she still preferred to wear her magic dress. Thankfully part of the magic was for it to resize to fit her much taller form, and now it clung to her body, leaving no curve to the imagination.

Heather didn't announce her approach and took advantage of the woman's distraction to surprise her with a sudden hug. Umtha jumped and turned around, only to have Heather press her into a kiss that went on for several minutes. When the goblin woman finally put her arms around Heather, the kiss ended, and the time had come to address what had happened.

Hey, are you alright? Heather asked.

I am fine, Umtha replied and looked down. I was just thinking.

Breanne said you were pretty upset when you woke up," Heather said as she put a hand on the back of Umtha's head and pressed her to her shoulder. She stroked the long green hair as Umtha sighed, then asked her if she wanted to talk about it.

I was upset, Umtha said as she settled in to be loved. But not with you. It was just that dreaming of my home made me sad. I never expected to find you there, but I was overjoyed to find you, and then to marry you in our ancient way. That meant a lot to me, and when I woke up and realized it had been a dream, I was hurt.

I wanted to show you how much I love you, Heather said as she continued to pet the woman. "For the others, I had Gisley craft a dream, but you were already dreaming of something I could use, so I let you run the dream. You must really miss your home to have dreamed of it so vividly."

We all miss our home, Umtha replied, referring to the goblins in general. And so did you. You told me about it once, how it was full of open plains with tall mountains in the north. You had a home high in the cliffs, looking over a lake surrounded by what you call fur trees.

I told you about my home? Heather asked in shock. Umtha, why didnt you tell me this before?

It never occurred to me before, Umtha admitted. But your home sounds a lot like mine. Serene and beautiful.

Was I some kind of monk living in a monastery?" Heather pressed as she tried to understand why she would live high on cliffs. Umtha didn't know, but she did relay one final detail that Heather loved the view from her home.

I think that's why you spend so much time here or on the balcony of your palace in the city," Umtha said. "You love heights, and you like to look down on the world from above."

Ha," Heather laughed as she considered how she had wings, but was terrified of the idea of flying. But Umtha had a point in that Heather did enjoy looking down on her world. She liked that feeling of being detached and above it all. This was worth considering, but it would wait until she was sure Umtha was settled. She held the woman tight and stood at the balcony ledge, looking down to see Frank and Blackbast had gone. She focused on Webster for a second to see him following them through the tower halls.

Umtha," Heather began softly. "I never knew how much you missed your home, but I will do all I can to make this home every bit as happy. I know it will never be the same, but you will never be alone, and I will be at your side always."

Will you come to the goblin city and sit on your throne once in a while? Umtha asked.

Sweety, Heather laughed. If that means so much to you, Frank and I will hold court there instead of the palace in the city.

You will? Umtha asked as her eyes brightened.

Umtha," Heather said, looking deep into those lovely eyes. "Not only will we do that, but I think we need to have a proper wedding."

Oh, like in the dream? Umtha asked excitedly.

Not like that," Heather quickly interjected. "How about a wedding more like we humans have, but we hold it in the goblin fortress before all the goblins and our friends. I am not ashamed to tell the world I have you for a wife, and I would do anything to make you happy.

But should I be spending effort on them when Quinny, Umtha, and Breanne need me? Heather asked.

That depends, Blackbast said. Are we still playing the game?

Why do I feel like I still dont understand? Heather asked and looked to both of them. What am I missing?

I am asking, are you still his slave girl? Blackbast asked. I know you just said you were not a slave, but that is because you fear your past. Now, consider that Frank has seen your dream, weighed all the circumstances and agreed to be your master. You have only to accept his role and bow your head. So, can you let go and be his slave girl or not?

So, I do what? Ask him what I should do? Heather asked.

Precisely, Blackbast said and leaned into her. You have told your master your worries and expressed a deep desire to honor him and your sisters in his harem. Now, it is his decision on how you will handle the issues.

But, I am not really his slave, Heather said and turned to Blackbast. Im yours, and you need me to serve in the temple.

I am a part of this family now, Blackbast replied. And as such my slaves belong to Frank. He and I both understand it is your heart's desire to be his slave for real, but he does not like the evolution path he would have to take to make you his slave.

Because it turns his slaves into undead and allows him to feed on them, Heather sighed. But I dont care about any of that, she added and put her hands on Franks chest. I just want to be your slave girl. Who cares if it makes me undead, or gives you a power you dont want to use. I want to be yours in every way I can.

I never wanted to be a slave master, Frank replied.

Which I find hilariously ironic considering you love harems," Heather countered.

I dont love harems, Frank said defensively as Heather rolled her eyes.

Oh, you can forget that defense, Heather laughed. Quinny already told me all about your manga collection. Dont forget, I didnt play video games, but I did enjoy reading Manga. I know full well what you were reading, and Quinny filled me in on all the things you liked about it."

She did? Frank said nervously.

She is my wife, after all," Heather replied with a smile. "And you have been pretending this whole time to be against it when, in fact, you love it. You just don't think you are allowed to love it. You are as bad about accepting the truth of things as I am."

She has correctly exposed you, Blackbast laughed.

Frank sighed and looked into the graveyard as Heather waited for her response. He finally admitted that she was right, he dreamed about having a harem, but that was just a silly fantasy that only happened in stories. Even when New Eden came along, he didn't think for a second he could have one. He just wanted to escape the real world and carve out his dungeon so he could play with others indirectly. It wasn't until Quinny mentioned it once that he thought about it. He didn't dare act on it because he didn't want Heather to think he was strange. So he kept it all in, and somehow they kept getting closer, always coming to him with their problems and relying on him as a friend. When the wedding idea came up, he thought that dream was over, but it just kept growing. Quinny was starting to flirt, and Breanne spent long nights sitting at his side talking to him. Even Umtha spoke to him sometimes, trying to explain herself and sharing her dreams. It was all too much to hope for, and then Grumosh happened.

I know you set me up," Frank said, looking at Blackbast. "Thank you."

It was the only way I could find to bring your feelings into the open, Blackbast said.

That was sneaky, Heather laughed. But I understand why you did it.

And now it is in the open, Blackbast said. We are a harem to Frank, and he has his fantasy at last.

How do things like this happen?" Heather asked. "One day, you're worried about going to work; the next day, you're a princess in a harem."

Life is full of surprises, Blackbast suggested.

Oh, that reminds me, Frank said and turned to Heather. I want you to put twenty more points in your slave collar.

Alright, but what for? Heather asked, curious where this was going.

It isn't right that Blackbast has only one collar to use," Frank said. "I want you to collar Quinny, Breanne, and Umtha so she can have those collars back. You will be the only one who wears her collar."

Thats a good idea, Heather agreed and chewed on a thought. But, do me a favor, dont them about it.

Why not? Blackbast asked.

Because Umtha needs something special, Heather said. So, I want her to be the first one I collar, and I want it to be a surprise.

I think we should have a proper wedding for her, Frank said.

I already talked to her about that, and I told her we would have one," Heather said.

Really? Frank said.

What is so surprising about me agreeing to that? Heather asked, wondering why he was being strange about it.

I just thought I would need to talk you into the whole goblin priest thing, Frank said.

I meant a human wedding, you dimwit! Heather cried. Honestly, do you want to see me marry Umtha the goblin way?

If it will make her happy, Frank said before he lost control and started laughing again. I had you, he cried and bellowed with a hearty laugh. You looked so shocked.

Oh, I am going to push you over the railing, Heather grumbled.

I am probably twenty times heavier than you can lift, he pointed out.

I will get my bone champion to do it," Heather argued, and pointed a finger at him.

I said I was teasing you, Frank said, and loomed over her.

Well, stop it. I am not used to you being the funny one," Heather grumbled. "Anyway, Quinny is planning a tea party for later, and I forgot to tell Breanne, so we should go find her."

A good idea but we have not finished our discussion, Blackbast said. You laid out your worries. Now your master must decide how you will proceed with Jaina and Chandice.

Right, Heather said and turned to Frank who looked like a ghoul with little to no facial expression. So what do you want me to do?

Umm, Frank began as he considered the options. I want you to keep dating them, but only so long as it doesnt interfere with our family.

But, Frank, I feel guilty about it, Heather insisted.

I am your master and I want you to keep dating them, he insisted. I want you to feel that sensation you love as much as possible, and I know being close to Jaina helps. I will do all I can to help you feel it as well by giving you commands and making you behave as my slave.

I understand, Heather said with a nod. And I am glad to hear you say that.

Good, because I want you to go and get the gift Chandice has for you, he said.

Heathers eyes went wide as her cheeks flushed a bright red. Oh, you saw that? she squeaked.

We saw everything, Blackbast purred. Now, tell us, are you feeling the tension inside?

Umm, yes, Heather admitted as she looked down. Are we really doing this?

I told you that from now on you were a slave girl, Frank said and gently cradled her to his chest. And I want to keep you that way.

Oh, Frank, are you sure? Heather asked as she felt the intoxicating tension coursing through her veins. He was being so assertive of his control and for some reason that was setting her on fire. Her entire body trembled as he pulled her in tight and looked down with his yellow eyes.

I already made up my mind, Frank said. You are right. I do love harems and I like the idea of keeping you as my slave girl.

Heather felt her heart racing as she nearly swooned to hear him spelling out his absolute control. He would choose her partners now, and all she could do was obey. Her logical mind screamed that this was wrong, but the power of that tension inside was so addictive. She was both afraid and turned on, her body shaking as it struggled to deal with both emotions. All those worries and concerns were gone, all that mattered was what was happening right now as she looked into the eyes of her master.

Yes, master, she said with trembling lips, finally accepting the truth of her fate.

Good, Frank said, and pulled her back into his arms. I love you, and I will show it by never letting you go. You are a slave now, and I will make sure you never forget it. Now go get the gift and meet us at the inn. I will have a glitter bomb waiting for you.

Heather nodded and headed off, her steps unsteady as her mind swam in a world of tension and shock. She had just tried to tell Frank that she thought she had made a mistake by playing at being a slave and dating other women. He and Blackbast had taken her completely by surprise by refusing to allow her to stop. Frank had kept his promise, making her a slave for real so that she could no longer back out. Now he had complete control and there was nothing she could do unless she wanted to displease him.

Oh, Frank, thank you, she whispered as she reached the magic doors. She stepped through on her way to the find Chandice leaving her old life behind. A new life had now begun, and this time she was going to enjoy every minute of it.