Enchanted Ch. 09

Wait - there's more plot to John's story than just meeting Mistress's needs by seducing women left and right? I'm afraid so - it's time to get ready for his first adventure... or he thinks it's his first, he really can't remember.

Also, my sincere apologies for this being late. I've been buried in the day job the last few weeks.

John stood on the fo'c'sle with Red and peered over the waves. The wind tugged at the recently shortened sleeves of his robe, baring the hilt of the dagger on his arm from time to time and cooling him from the sun's warmth.

"How's the hand?" the captain of the Red Witch asked.

John flexed it and nodded. "Good. Cramps a bit if I use it too much."

"Right hand? Well, good thing you've got Steff and my sister. You don't need to use your hand."

John sputtered a moment before saying, "News travels fast on a ship."

Red winked at him and pointed off the bow. "See there, that's the Sunset Isles on the horizon. We'll be there long before morning, but I won't take us in until after dawn. No good maps of the isles, or at least nothing in the past hundred years."

"Because of Billy the One Eyed?" John asked. "According to the legends?"

She nodded. "Aye. And speaking of old one-eye, is it true?"

"Um, is what true?" John asked.

"What they say about you?"

"I've got two eyes..." John answered and shook his head. "I don't understand."

"For a mage you're awfully daft. I meant that spitting snake you've got down there. Is it as big as they say it is?"

He rolled his eyes. "Not that big," John said. "If I were too big then I'd need to seek out ogres and giants for lovers."

She grimaced. "That'd be a sight. One I think I'd rather not see, come to think on it."

John smirked. "One I'd rather not be a part of!"

Silence stretched a moment before she asked, "And my sister and second mate? They're all smiles and giggles since you took them in the armory yesterday. Steff doesn't giggle, she's mean and nasty. A foul-tempered bitch that keeps my crew in line. Except lately she's all but playing with butterflies. I half expect her to show up on deck in a dress with flowers in her bonnet."

John chose his words carefully, "Sounds like she needed a good time and a chance to let her hair down... not that she has much."

"More like she needed to be reassured that Little Red hadn't snatched you away from her," Red ventured. "The two of them was tight. My sister was crew, all the same, but she was the Captain's sister too. Plus she is who she is. That girl gets something in her head and she sees it through no matter what she's told. She saw something in Steff and kept at her until Steff let her in. They been tied at the hip since... at least until you showed up."

"I never meant—"

She waved him silent. "After what you three done this morning it seems they're back together again. All wrung out though, when will they wake up?"

"They'll be awake in the morning and feeling fine," John argued. "But don't worry, they're not together... Well, they kissed once, but only because I told Steff to do it and Little Red was—"

Red spun on him. "I didn't meant together like that! What's this then? Don't tell me Mare's got my curse?"

John swallowed. "Um... what curse?"

"Loving another woman," Red admitted. "Sasha's my one and only, but it's a rare person that accepts a woman can love a woman... that or a ready blade and a sharp tongue to keep a crew in line that thinks otherwise. I wouldn't change me nor Sasha for all the gold in the ocean, but I wouldn't wish what we got on Mare either, all the same."

John nodded. "I can see that," he admitted. "Not that she's... like that. I mean I can see how people wouldn't treat you proper. I'm not agreeing with that, but I can see how they'd be like that. For what it's worth, I could care less about who you love."

Red studied him and then nodded. "Good. For my sister's sake, I'd hate to have to toss your overboard."

John chuckled until he realized she might not have been kidding.

"So what's this about a kiss?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not my place to say... in fact, I said more than I should have already."

Red snorted. "A man not willing to kiss and tell is a rare man indeed. Fine then, tell me, John the Long, are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Fog and a sailing through islands looking for a ship run up on a beach? I don't see why not."

"They say that fog's not natural. Are you ready to help us against that?"

John frowned. He didn't know any spells that— no, he didn't know any spells at all. He had magic at his disposal, but how to use it against fog? The magic was ready inside of him, eager to be put to use "I'm not sure, I've never tried. I could spend some time practicing."

Red turned to the west. The sun was just touching the water without a cloud in the sky. "Should be a calm night. Make sure you get some rest before the 'morrow."

John smirked. "Yes, Captain," he said. "I'll figure it out."

"See that you do," she said. "I'd hate to have Steff and Little Red upset because you couldn't keep true to your promise to help."

His smirk faded at the threat. He nodded and waited. She studied him a moment longer before turning and walking away. She veered around the ballista mounted on the deck and then walked down the stairs to give him the peace he needed to practice his magic.

John took a deep breath and looked around. Some crates and barrels bound by ropes were the only thing on the deck aside from the ballista. He sighed and gathered his robes so he could sit down on the weathered planks. He steepled his hands and closed his eyes, drawing in a breath to center himself. He had a few ideas already, but magic had a funny way of turning a perfectly reasonable process and flipping it on its head.

When John opened his eyes again he blinked a few times to be sure he'd opened them. It was dark out! The only light was from stars overhead. He yawned and stretched his arms, then unfolded his legs and rolled onto one hip to get a foot under him. He rose up and stretched his body again, reveling in the way his young muscles moved without popping and creaking and aching.

More importantly, he'd learned a few things. He couldn't make the fog go away directly, but he could manage a gust of wind. Or, since fog was nothing more than water in the air, he could make a fire to dry it out. Granted, creating fire on top of water was going to need some oil spilled overboard... and then there was the issue of catching the ship on fire as it sailed through the burning waters.

No, some well placed wind would be best. He could do it too, but only one or maybe two before the magic would be too drained to do any more. He really needed to build up his reserves. The thought of spending a day locked away in a brothel wasn't without its appeal... but it was a day he didn't have. Not to mention there were no brothels on the Red Witch!

John wondered if he could even hold that much power. Steff and Little Red had nearly overwhelmed him earlier. Only the immediate need to put their energies to use mending his arm had kept him focused and able to handle the overload. He suspected he needed more training and to build up his endurance... or whatever it was that determined how much power he could hold before his eyes started glowing.

"Gets cold up here when the sun's down."

John jumped even as he recognized Zynga's voice. He turned and saw her leaning against the ballista. He also realized she was right, he was cold. His arms and feet, at least. The magic swirling inside of him helped keep the chill from settling into his core.

"I hadn't noticed until now. How are you holding up?"

"Bored," she admitted. "The highlight of my day is winning at cards or dice with off duty sailors. I can't do much else because everyone's busy and it doesn't help any of us to end up stranded or shipwrecked."

John winced. "No, that wouldn't do at all. I'm still impressed that you can slip around without anyone noticing you if you want."

"Unless I will it otherwise, only you and Mistress can see me."

"Oh! Well that makes sense," he said. "Tell me, Zynga, do you know anything about my powers?"

She tilted her head. "Depends. You're a warlock. You've made a pact with Mistress... it's really dependent on what deal you struck with her."

"Which I can't remember," he admitted.

"There is that," she said.

John sighed. "Sometimes I wonder... was I really who I thought I was? Before, I mean. Was I a powerful wizard, or did I just dream it?"

Zynga watched him but said nothing.

"I suppose it doesn't matter," John said. "At least not now. I feel so weak though... even with this power I can only do so much."

"You've just started," Zynga said. "You'll learn as you go... as long as you don't die."

John winced. "I'll try not to."

"Good, if I let you die Mistress would be so mad—" Zynga's eyes widened and she clamped her lips shut. She sniffed and shrugged. "Finding another like you would take time, after all."

"Uh huh," John said, wondering just what all that meant. Was he important to Mistress after all? She was powerful and he was nothing, next to her. How could he mean that much to her?

"There's, um, something else," Zynga said.

John tilted his head? "Oh? What is it?"

She sighed. "Try doing what you did before."

"Which things is that?" he asked.

"Seeing through my eyes."

"Oh! All right," John said. He grabbed the railing behind him to brace himself and closed his eyes. He sought out the link to Zynga. It took a moment before he was able to find the thin trail of magic between them. Now that he'd had so much experience on the Red Witch it reminded him of a withered and desiccated rope. John tried to use it and send his sight down it but the tendril of magic wasn't strong enough to let him through.

"That's strange," he mumbled and tried to rejuvenate their bond with magic. It was a slow process. So slow that he realized he'd run out of power before restoring it. "What happened? I noticed I had nearly lost my connection to Little Red and Steff as well."

Zynga nodded. "It's similar, but mine will never break or fade away, like theirs will if you don't... reconnect."

"Reconnect?"

"Feed them... You know, when they drink your—"

"Oh! That," John mumbled and blushed. "I didn't know that would do that. Wait a minute, I've never, um... you've never..."

Zynga shrugged. "Don't you remember when you communed with Mistress?"

John tilted his head and thought back to when she'd finally told him Mistress's name. She was Beytrixxa, an extremely powerful succubus. She'd spoken with him, briefly, and with a look and a flick of her power caused him to climax all over himself. Twice.

John gasped. "You were... you licked up my..."

Zynga nodded. "You taste good, but you know that."

"I've never tasted myself," he said.

"Wouldn't do you any good," she said. "But hey, whatever you like. Nothing wrong with it."

"Nothing wrong with it? Why would I—"

"Are you really going to finish that, after telling Red you had no problem with her being together with another woman?"

John clamped his mouth shut. He considered her words and then shook his head. "That's not the same at all. So she loves a woman? Good for her. Even if they were men, good for them. It happens... in some places I've heard it happens a lot and is considered a normal part of growing up."

She grinned. "Ah, so you think it's wrong because it would be pleasuring yourself? You were a boy once, even if it was so long ago you can't remember. Do you really think you didn't pleasure yourself? I'm here to tell you every boy does. Most girls too... the fun ones, at least."

John gawked at her.

"So then, Master, why would it be wrong?"

"I... I guess it's not," he sputtered.

"Do you mean that, or are you just saying it to shut me up?"

He chuckled. "No, no, you've stated a clear case that I can't argue. I've no interest in it though, but you're right, there's nothing wrong with those that do."

"There's another reason you've no interest in it," Zynga said.

"Oh?"

"Because you can't gain power from yourself, nor can you bond with yourself. Mistress did tell me that much... you can't bring pleasure to yourself. Well, some... but not enough."

John stiffened. Or at least his back stiffened. He glanced down and then up at Zynga. "Really?"

"Think about it," Zynga said. "You went seven days without a woman... trust me, I know! Did you once think about fucking your first?"

John was getting used to the imp and barely winced at her vulgarity. "I didn't," he admitted.

"Go ahead and try it now," she suggested.

John's eyes widened. "What? Here... on the open deck?"

"Why not?"

"There are other people about! A lookout in the crow's nest and a crew sailing the ship!"

Zynga shrugged. "Those are excuses. The real reason is because you can't. You've no interest and even if you faked it, John the Long wouldn't be so long."

John choked on her words and tried to deny her, but there was something about what she said that rang true. He really did have no desire right now. The thought of handling himself was... disappointing.

"Huh," he grunted after swallowing the bitter pill. "I'm struggling, but I'll admit I think you're right."

"I am," she said with a brief flash of a red gleam in her eyes. "But there's the problem... we can't renew our bond without essence of John."

"And I have no desire to bed you," John added.

"I know. That's the other twist Mistress threw in."

"So how..."

She shrugged. "We'll have to take advantage of opportunities that arise. Fuck a girl silly and leave a puddle on her belly then call me in. Get some on your hands or still dripping from you cock and let me clean you off."

John was glad he was still holding on to the deck at her matter-of-fact discussion of how she could ingest his cum. "This is... unusual."

"What? Just because most cultures on this world are hung up on issues of the flesh? You're a creature of lust now, John. Your powers are grounded in hedonism. Enjoy yourself - you bring pleasure to others in exchange for a few moments of their time. What's a night of deep sleep among of a lifetime of nights?"

John hesitated and then nodded. "I suppose you're right. Although too much pleasure can kill them."

She flashed a wicked smile and said, "Yes, there's that. What a way to die!"

John shuddered as a cold chill slipped down his spine.

"Fucking a person to death would be a rush," she continued.

"That's enough of that, I think," he said.

"Hitting a little close to home?"

He stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing," she dismissed his concerns. "Just wondering if you realized the power you have."

"Oh... I hadn't thought of that. Definitely not interested in that though."

"Takes hate-fuck to a new level though, doesn't it?"

"You can be a downright nasty person, you know that?" he pointed out.

Rather than be offended she grinned and flashed red eyes at him again. "Guilty as sin...again."

He sighed. "Well, I suppose I should get rested before tomorrow. Will you help me with whatever we find?"

"I'm here to help you, Master. The others can run aground and drown for all I care."

"Lovely. Glad I, at least, have your support."

"Always," Zynga said. "Even when you're wrong."

John blinked a few times before asking, "Sorry? Even when I'm wrong? Am I wrong about something?"

"Probably. I meant even if you took a stance that was wrong I'll support you. I'm your familiar, Master, I have to. Unless you and Mistress are at odds, of course, but I don't see that happening."

"Oh! Okay...well.. thank you. Although I suppose my gratitude doesn't matter since you're force to act this way."

She shrugged. "No, it doesn't, but I appreciate it all the same. I'll find ways to enjoy my job regardless, but this is nice too."

He chuckled and shook his head. "All right, I'd best be off to bed then. Unless you need anything?"

"My needs are taken care of, mostly," she said. "Perhaps I'll go trick a sailor into leaping off the boat after a mermaid."

"Don't do that!" John hissed. "We need every last one of them."

She pouted. "Fine... but you owe me some excitement when this is over!"

"Excitement... got it," John said. He chuckled and shook his head. His life had been extremely exciting lately. A steady stream of lovers, learning new things on the high seas, and now they were searching for lost treasure. He was afraid of what it would take to thrill Zynga.

John made his way to his hammock and yawned as he slipped into it. In a normal bed he'd strip naked to sleep. There was no privacy here though, even though that bothered him less than he thought it might. No, the real concern was if something happened and he needed to be up and ready.

So far there'd only been one call to action but he'd been grateful to not have to fumble about looking for his robe... only to find out that the great shape spotted in the distance wasn't interested in them. John had been angry at having his sleep disrupted by an island... only to see it slip beneath the water. A moment later it returned violently, a massive fish caught in its beak. John had been shaken a day and a half after they'd spotted the enormous turtle.

He'd taken a liking to the hammock as well. A bed would rise up and down and roll him back and forth with the waves. The hammock swayed with the ship, keeping him steady and letting him sleep uninterrupted. Whoever first thought to string up ropes and a sheet between to posts was wise beyond their years.

John settled in and relaxed. He liked to meditate and calm himself before sleeping each night. Tonight felt different though. He was on edge. Was it the talk with Zynga or with Red? Perhaps the possible excitement tomorrow? The only thing he was sure of was that he wasn't ready for tomorrow. He didn't feel powerful enough or prepared enough. There was no telling what might happen... if the fog was truly magical and resisted him, or if there was just too much of it, what would he do? What if there was more, ghost ships with undead crews defending the isles? Giant sea serpents? Savage natives that would cook and eat the flesh from their bones?

John frowned and clenched his teeth. His imagination was running amok. Prepared or not, he'd be useless if he didn't get any sleep. He had to calm himself down.

He forced his thoughts in other directions. Away from the confrontations of past and present. Recovering some tomes of magic and knowledge would be invaluable to him. He could begin studying anew and refresh his memory. Even a few simple cantrips would be enough to bolster his spirits. Being a master at seducing and bedding women was a wonderful thing, but against a band of the lizard-like splisskin or a roving group of goblins he'd be useless. Unless... could he seduce a goblin?

John shuddered at the thought. To be fair, he'd never seen a goblin cleaned up and made presentable. They were about Zynga's height, really, but with sharp teeth and ears and rather squat faces. Still... he couldn't claim to be open-minded and fair to all if he didn't at least give them a chance.

Ugh... all right then, there was no way he could seduce a dragon if it came down to it. So learning— or relearning— traditional magic would definitely empower him. Until then, he just had to trust in Mistress to guide him through. But how would she do that if he never talked to her?

John opened his eyes and stared up at the dark wood above. The times creaked and ground as it rode the waves and sloshed through the waters. It was soothing after a while, but his thoughts were now taken with Mistress. He hadn't talked to her in over a week now, and when he had it was only once... and it had been brief. Embarrassingly brief, considering what her mere presence did to him.