After the Ninth Bell

She ran the water into the huge sink and felt a presence next to her. She turned in shock. Triss was standing next to her, shaking much as Rinke had done the previous week. Freya made to say something but Triss stopped her friend, holding her hand up.

"Don' say nuffin' Frey or I'll fuckin' start bubblin'" She sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Least Rinke got anuvver go." She sniffed again. "Roight - don't break nuffin' or it's a Crown out yer wages..." She plunged her hands into the sink and got to work. They were done before the Tenth Bell and wondered why Nadia seemed so happy for a change, especially Triss, who was taken to one side out of Freya's sight and given the little package. She tucked it into her cloak pocket smiling as Nadia whispered something in her ear. "Thanks Nadia - loud 'n' clear!"

The two girls walked in silence down the path back to the town arm in arm. It had started to snow again and it was swirling around them as they trudged along, their booted feet kicking up little flurries as they went. As they reached the point where Rinke had thrown the snowball at her, Freya decided to cheer her friend up. She scooped up a handful of snow and giggling, rubbed it in Triss's face.

The girl scowled at her and narrowed her eyes. "Roight, Missy - not the kind o' snowballin' I's had in mind t'night, but if yer wants it that way..." She bent down and scooped up her own handful.

Five minutes later the girls were lying in the snow, laughing uncontrollably. Their faces were red and they were covered in white from head to toe, their chests were heaving with exertion. Triss bobbed to her feet and pulled Freya after her. "Thanks, Frey - needed a larf, I's did!" She looked at the outlines they had left in the snow. "Lookie, we did make Snow-Saints!" She cuddled her in and they continued on their way.

They were shivering as they got to Triss's cottage. It was still a fair step to Freya's and the snow was getting heavier. In the distance a wolverine howled. There was no way they'd come into town, but it gave Triss her chance.

"C'mon, bunk wi' me t'night. Too cold to be goin' on yer'sen and them wolfies is on the prowl!"

Freya didn't need to be asked twice. They stumbled into the warmth of the kitchen and shook themselves off. Once they had dried themselves, Triss pointed to a door in the corner. "Lolli's got selected so you can have 'er room if yer like. First, got somefin' to show yer!"

She took Freya by the hand praying things would turn out as she hoped and Lolli's room would remain unused. She led her into her small bedroom and pushed her onto a rickety little chair. She sat on the bed and dug into her shoulder bag. She cocked an eye at Freya. "If you broked these wiff that snowball fight..." She grinned triumphantly as she opened her bag. "Oh Drusilla, I loves you, lady!"

She pulled out a long, narrow tube of about a hands-length. She had a playful little smile on her lips. "Mmm, Willow-weed!" She put the tube to her lips and sucked gently. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. A little wisp of smoke escaped her lips and she giggled softly. "Ooh, makeses all tingly."

She sucked again and held it out to Freya. She took it laughing. "You look like the dragon on the crest"

Triss held her hands up as claws and roared. "Twice as fiercer though!"

Freya looked at it quizzically. "Not like them pipes they smoke in the tavern, is it?"

"Yuck no! Go on, nice and sweet, t'is. Got me a lovely little tingle goin' on!"

Freya put it to her mouth and sucked. It tasted minty and pleasant. It wasn't quite as strong as the Ice-fire, but she immediately felt - as Triss had said - a nice little tingle flow through her. She tensed herself, expecting the lurch in her tummy, but it never came. Tentatively, she took another suck on it. Her eyes widened and the glow intensified. Her whole body was tingling; certain areas more than others.

Triss held her hand out and took back the tube. "Got somefin' else!" She dug into the bag once more and Freya gasped as she saw what the girl pulled out. It was a long, glass or crystal tube with a large protuberance at one end and little ridges all the way down to a long, curved handle covered in leather. There were indentations in the handle. Even to Freya's innocent eye, there was no mistaking the purpose. The fire in her lower regions seemed to intensify at the sight of the thing. They got even hotter as Triss ran the tip of it around her mouth and licked the end.

She took another pull on the Willow-weed and handed it back to Freya. She gave her friend a very meaningful look. "Nadia sez her Ladyship tolded her we done gotta sharesies both o' these!"

Freya swallowed hard as Triss began to hitch up her long, heavy skirts. They were thick to combat the harsh winter and she struggled to get them up. In the end, she stood up. "Oh fucks it - only one way..." She tugged hard and pulled the hem high and tucked it around her waist.

Freya almost passed out at what she saw. Not only was Triss not wearing underwear; she was completely clean-shaven. "Triss - you've got... you've got no knicks on... and you're all baldy!"

Triss smiled ruefully. "Fort I were gonna be Selected, din't I? Silly little Triss fort no needs for knicks. Losted me best pair in the Hall last time nevers to be seed again, so left 'em off. Hubris - that's what it's called. 'Excessive pride or self-confidence' as me old Teach would say. Hubris. Loikes that word, I does! Hyoo-briss..."

Despite her shock, Freya laughed. "Hubris? Big word for you, Latrissa!"

Triss sat back on the bed, her legs wide. "Hoi, Missy - I may talk funny, but I's very 'telligent. Quite the scholar I were. Got a very wide vocalab... vocabble... knows lotsa big words, I does." Ignoring Freya sitting opposite her with tears of laughter streaming down her face, she went on, stroking her shaven area. "Nadia does this f'r'uzz when we gets Selected. Really nice lady once you knows 'er - she were like uzz once but din't go for full Elevation."

She looked at Freya. "Jabberin' on, I is. 'Nuff talksies..."

She grunted as she ran the glass tube across her pussy lips and around her clitoris. The thing looked huge to Freya and she could see her friend's fingers whitening as she gripped the leather handle tightly. She gasped as the head of the tube slipped inside her before pulling it out and licking the end once more. Freya sucked on the Willow-weed and the intensity down below grew by the second. Without thinking, she got down on her hands and knees in front of Triss to get a better view.

As Triss slid the whole glass tube inside her, she groaned. Freya's head began to spin. She felt that she was being pushed gently by an invisible hand. Her mouth opened as Triss slid the tube from her pussy. The smell was incredible - it seemed to be amplified by the Willow-weed. Triss held the tube up to her. She poked out her tongue and felt another tingle run through her body as she touched it to the tip. She closed her mouth over the end and tasted her friend's juices. Before she knew what she was doing, she pulled away from the tube and ran her tongue up and down Triss's now swollen pussy lips and sucked gently on her clitoris.

She felt Triss stiffen and heard her gasp, her hand sliding into Freya's thick curls. It seemed to break the spell. Freya sat back, her eyes wide in shock. She looked up at her friend. "Oh Saints, Triss - I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. Something just seemed to compel me to do that..."

Smiling, Triss held up the Willow-weed. "Good, innit!"

Freya sat there stunned. "That made me do...?" She pointed at Triss's pussy, glistening with juices in the candlelight.

"Like the Ice-fire - only makes yer do wass deep in yer little brain-box!" She tapped her head before pulling on the Willow-weed again.

Freya shook her head. "So I really want to? Oh Saints, Triss..."

Triss stood and pulled Freya to her feet. "Yes, you really wants... I really wants..." She ran her tongue along Freya's lips and insinuated it into her mouth. At first she got no response, but slowly, she felt Freya's tongue begin to move, her lips pressing back against hers. She felt hands in the middle of her back sliding down to her bare buttocks. One hand slid round and cupped her pubic area.

Freya pulled her mouth away from Triss. The girl's teeth had been nibbling at her lip and she'd had to pull hard. She put her hands on each side of her friend's face and stared into her eyes. She could feel her soft, silky blonde hair against her fingers, her warm breath on her own face. She could see the look in her eyes and could feel the fire in her own area that until so recently she could not touch.

Triss almost screamed in delight as she felt Freya begin to pull her down onto the bed. Freya's voice was a hoarse whisper. "Oh, Triss, yes, yes, yes - I really so fuckin' wants..."

Chapter Five - Ice-fire

The next two weeks followed the same format. Triss was selected; Freya was not. That meant she walked home alone. She hoped that one of the other non-Selectees may want to work out their frustrations with her, but she was out of luck. She was beginning to think it was all a dream and that she'd never get Selected and her life would be as ordinary as the beer the Empress Galina served.

Triss and she had been together twice since their first night. The second time seemed strange to Freya. She was expecting it to be different without the Willow-weed, but she realised that all the drug had done was amplify the thoughts and feelings already there. Triss was so gentle with her and she'd taught her so much in such a short space of time.

And it may have been her imagination, but the last time they had been together, she could have sworn she had seen a flash of yellow in Triss's eyes as she came.

It was difficult for them when they had the shared hour of their shifts at the Dragon's Nest. They kept finding themselves in cramped areas together, longing to touch and kiss each other, but they dared not.

Most nights on Triss's break, they would meet at the Empress Galina just so they could spend time together. After her last Selection, Rinke had been told she was no longer required. She seemed resigned to it. "Oh well, had me fun an' earned a few Crowns. Least Cade don't have to rear-end me no more!"

She had looked at Freya. "You still not been asked then?"

Freya shook her head. "No not yet. I think they see me as an expert dish washer. I'll still be scrubbing their pans when I'm old and grey."

She missed the wink that Triss gave Rinke as the girl put down their drinks. As Rinke walked back to the bar, she mimed over Freya's shoulder, "This week?" Freya thought Triss was nodding at something she had said, but Rinke went back to the bar smiling. She liked the girls and hoped they'd be Elevated. Nadia had been honest with her and told her the reason. She was sworn to secrecy and had no intentions of giving anything away. Besides, she now needed to talk to Cade about the offer of setting up a brewery at the Castle. Maybe the tavern wench and brewer's lad could go up in the world after all.

Freya now dreaded Triss going back to her shift. She wanted to kiss her so badly. They finished their beers and she said goodnight as they reached the door.

Triss stopped dead in her tracks in the open doorway. "Shit, almos' forgotted. She'd have fuckin' killded me!"

She handed a small envelope to Freya and the girl watched her running away across the square towards the Dragon's Nest without a word. She looked quizzically at her gift. There was nothing on the envelope. She thought better of opening it in the tavern which was beginning to fill up as the evening progressed.

Triss was chuckling to herself as ran on past the Dragon's Nest and took the path leading up to the Castle. When she had told Dru about the night she and Freya had spent, the woman was in raptures. "We will make it soon, little Triss, I promise." She handed Triss two envelopes. "One for each of you. If all goes well then Freya will be on the road to Elevation, following in the footsteps of our wonderful new friend Latrissa!"

Triss hadn't 'forgotted' to give her the envelope at all. She had been dying to give it to her friend for days, but had to wait for the right time. It was all just part of the plan - to make it all seem casual, not part of a greater scheme.

Freya walked the short distance back to the cottage knowing the other girls were out. Salli was working with Triss at the Nest - or so she thought - and Stine said she had a job over by the harbour in a restaurant. Salli was convinced that most of Stine's work took place on the boats in the harbour on her back.

For some reason, Freya thought of her mother back in the village. She would be in bed by now. Early in everything she did except give birth to Freya. She had waited until the right man had come along, so therefore according to her, so could her daughter.

Except there was no way Freya was going to wait another twenty two years. She lay on her bed, her hand gently touching herself. No more 'the place that should not be touched.' She knew some new words now and they fascinated her. The thrill of whispering them to herself as she worked was an aphrodisiac. Her cunt. Her pussy. Her tits. She pulled on her nipples as she had seen Lady Drusilla do and gasped. She conjured up a vision of Lord Anders standing over her. She whispered to herself, "Hey Anders, fuck my slippery wet cunt with that fucking big cock." She giggled to herself, still feeling a pang of guilt which made it all the more pleasurable.

She opened the envelope.

There was another vial of Ice-fire in there, this one a little bigger than the first she had been given. There was a tiny, handwritten note with the dragon crest in the top corner. 'Tenth Bell. Tonight. Love, Dru.' She put down the envelope with a trembling hand. She drew back the bedroom curtain and looked up at the town square clock. It wasn't even close to the Ninth Bell yet. All she wanted to do was to rip the top off the vial and inhale deeply. To be transported somewhere else, hopefully to watch Lady Drusilla doing something utterly filthy and depraved.

Time seemed to stand still for her. She couldn't believe how hard it was for her not to keep touching herself having only started doing it a few days earlier. She almost wore the curtain rail out looking out at the clock. At last the clock hands were almost in position. She was already naked. She slid under her blankets, one hand poised by her aching pussy, the other on the cork of the vial. As the Tenth Bell struck, she flipped the top and almost jammed the narrow neck up her nose so as to not lose any of the precious Ice-fire. She inhaled deeply and switched to the other nostril. She felt the lurch in her stomach and the precipitous slide began. She was spinning violently, tumbling head over heels, her long red hair flying around her. It seemed to go on forever this time. She was becoming nauseous, her head reeling, colours flashing around her. Then everything seemed to go into reverse and her fall slowed dramatically. She floated the last few feet and felt herself surrounded by feather-like softness.

There was no mist this time. She clearly saw Lady Drusilla, visible from her shoulders to her waist, her silvery hair now back in its familiar long tresses. She was naked and facing away from Freya. She arched her back and as she did, the view of her pulled back and got wider. Freya could now see she was straddling someone, her arms around his neck. Her buttocks were moving almost imperceptibly in a circular, grinding motion. She looked over her shoulder and grinned at Freya. "Ah, sweet girl. How good of you to join us! This is my lovely friend Daniel whom you saw deposit his not inconsiderable load onto your divine little friend Latrissa's pretty face recently. Lord Anders regrets his unavailability this evening, but Daniel will deputise admirably as ever!

She pulled up, revealing a long, fat cock between her parted legs and buttocks, glistening with her juices in the candlelight. Freya let out a little whimper of longing. She tried to reach her pussy, but her hands felt like they were in thick jelly. Drusilla grinned at her. "No cheating, dear girl! No self gratification!" She began to ride the cock hard and Freya's whimpers turned to a groan of disappointment.

Freya struggled but could not move a muscle. "Please, Lady Drusilla. Allow me some movement. I long to feel myself while watching you."

"Now now, little Freya. Patience, girl! All good things, yes?" She waved an admonishing finger at the girl. "Have you any idea how good this feels, Freya? This lovely big cock sliding in and out of my soaking wet pussy? Daniel's big hands on my arse, my tits. His lips sucking on my nipples, teeth nibbling." She threw back her head, her silky hair flying. "Oh fuck, girl it feels so good!"

Freya was beside herself. "Lady Drusilla, I beg you!" Her voice sounded hoarse.

Her Ladyship stopped her grinding and grinned over her shoulder again. Her voice was playful and husky. "Call me Dru!"

'I'll call you Divine Goddess if I have to,' thought Freya. "Lady Dr... Dru. Please allow me release!"

"Ah sweet girl. I can do better than that. So much better than that. Just give me a little more 'me' time if you'd be so kind... nearly there..." She resumed her bucking and Daniel began to rise up to meet her down-strokes. Freya could hear her buttocks slamming into his thighs, her grunts as she rode. She rode him hard for full minute. Her voice was breathless as she once more stopped dead. "Mmm, thank you Daniel - very nice for the first course!" She slid off him and curled into a ball by his side.

She turned to Freya. "So, little nymph... how about you take my place?" Her's and Daniel's eyes seemed to glow even more brightly for an instant and Freya let out a piercing scream as in an eye-blink she found herself impaled on Daniel's huge erection.

She felt a tearing as her hymen broke, pain coursing through her, tears streaming down her face. A hand reached up and held something under her nose. She inhaled and the pain faded into nothingness. A soft silk kerchief wiped her face dry. From lying there incapable of movement to being filled by a huge cock had taken a split second. She looked down into Daniel's handsome face, her own a mask of shock and delight.

She took three deep breaths and let out a little breathy moan. She felt a gentle hand reach out and stroke her hair. She turned and Drusilla was smiling at her.

Freya could only manage one word. "How?"

Drusilla continued stroking her. "Don't ask for now - you have much to learn, sweet girl. Just be grateful it does it! Are you more comfortable now?" She stroked her hand across Freya's skin just beneath her tummy button and above her flaming red bush.

"Yes, La... Dru, thank you. The pain is gone." She turned to Daniel and tried to compose herself. She was utterly elated. She gazed down at him not believing the feeling inside her. Something in the drug seemed to make her more confident and she felt she should introduce herself. "Hello, I'm Freya!" She ran her hands through his beard, traced the line of his aquiline nose and kissed him on the lips.

He kissed her back, his big hands gripping her hips. "Delighted, fair Freya. I am Daniel. It is my sheer pleasure to take your maidenhead!"

Drusilla purred in her throat, her yellow eyes glistening with lust. "Oh shut up and fuck, you two!"

Freya turned her head, aware of almost nothing but the hugeness filling her. She gasped, "But Dru, I know not how!"

The woman shrugged. "You saw me do it. Your turn. Better hurry in case the Ice-fire wears off!"

That got Freya's attention. She pulled up as Drusilla had done, so that the head of his cock was pressing on her outer lips. She sat back down with a low groan that tore through the heart of Drusilla. The girl was stunning and seeing her fuck for the first time was a massive turn-on. She wanted her all for herself, but she was prepared to let the girl have all the pleasure today. She knew there'd be more opportunities soon and once she was back alone with Daniel he'd have her screaming her lungs out as ever.