Our party consists out of a Wizard, Cleric, Fighter, Bard, and Rogue—all human, and one Duskscale Lizardfolk Shadowsage. While we can seriously kick the behind of everything that walks, crawls, or slithers, we are seriously deficient in the ranged attacks department. My middle-aged Bard has …
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Anyway, I have to get home so I can get my nightly 8 hours of vivid hallucinations.
219 Rotated Sometimes you should look at your arms from other points of view - fighters- your shield isn’t always vertical while in use…
220 Clownfish To make a monster or animal a ‘Sea-beast", one generally takes a beast in the rampant position, and change from the waist down to a fish-tail. Other positions can be described.
A “Clownfish” would look like “Little Nemo”.
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I promise to never again attempt to draw early hominids.
I love this term. From the Japanese shinrin-yoku, it means to soak in the atmosphere of a forest. And I think it’s not too far of an overstatement to say that a walk in Nature is about the closest to a miracle cure we have. There appear to be myriad benefits from simply spending time in Nature. As my sister put it, if it was a drug we’d be prescribing it.
Though we didn’t call it forest bathing at the time it’s definitely some of my happiest memories, like here, here, here, here, and here.
* National Lighthouse Day (U.S.)
* Beach Party Day (U.S.) And if there is a lighthouse there to light up the beach you can stay longer.
* National Sea Serpent Day (U.S.) But watch out for sea serpents!
* Raspberries `n Cream Day (U.S.) Perhaps if you offered them a bowl of these.
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H207 Heraldic Porn Play herald Magazine
208 Tower of High Heraldry
Morrigan by Zolaida
As found at:
http://zolaida.deviantart.com/art/Morrigan-601225299
Sort of a “Morrigan in Space” vibe I think…
Hey! Dork Tower has a Patreon campaign with wonderful backers who help the webstrips happen. And there’s bonus comics, and swag! Sweet, sweet swag! Check it out, why don’t you? Join the fun! FUN!
Even when you’ve figured out how family relations work, families, in just a few generations, can get surprisingly complex. I won’t pretend this one doesn’t require a little study.
What is a first, second or third cousin? And what does once or twice removed have to do with anything? One way to think about it is that the first, second or third cousins, have to do with the number of generations you are away from a shared ancestor. So, who you would probably normally call your cousins — your parents brothers or sisters, children — have one generation, your parents generation, before reaching grandparents that are shared by both. If you have children, and your first cousins have children, they will be second cousins to eachother as it’s now two generations to a shared ancestor — their great grandparents in this case.
While first, second, or third cousins of eachother are of the same generation, when you are once removed it means you are cousins one generation apart. So, you would be first cousins once removed with your cousin’s children. If you look at the sketch, you’ll actually see that you are second cousins once removed with your parent’s cousin’s grandchildren. Simple ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The sketch gets pretty complicated to see this, and that’s without even showing having more than one sibling, any of the in-law families, or considering divorces, remarries, half-brothers, step mothers and the like. Crikey.
I didn’t have much of any time this week to write, but there are events that happen which can be reflected in the Realm. For example, some time ago, our water heater broke… at about the worst moment possible…
Sometimes such things can inspire a story from a dear friend…
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There are times when life is difficult. Those times can last longer than we ever want them too. And that can even go for the Queen. So, it is not uncommon that every so often one just needs to …
Scream
by Legion
“So … this will work, won’t it?” she said to the figure in front of her.
The stranger sighed. “Please remember, you came looking for something like this. I just provided it. So, yes, it will work exactly as you want. But remember, do not turn it until after Tera has left. You risk a very great deal indeed if she is still in the room.”
“Ok … got it. I mean, it shouldn’t be too hard, right?”
“Only for you, if you make a mistake.” “And you already have,” the figure thought.
A few days later:
Dawn in the Realm …
It is like dawn anywhere else to the beings that go through it day after day. It begins with darkness and very slowly, sometimes too slowly to notice, it becomes light. Again, for Realm residents as with most people, dawn is a time for waking from a form of sleep to a new day, facing new things and, sometimes, ongoing things, things that you would rather trade sleep for.
In the Palace of the Realm, at one of its taller points, dawn peeked in through the windows of the Queen’s chambers. Tera had wisely made sure that the sun wouldn’t peek in and hit her and her Eternal in the face as a morning wake-up. Still, the room slowly filled with the soft light of the dawning sun, and, slowly, it was enough to stir Tera and her Eternal, Keith, from their sleep.
Waking up was probably one of the very few things the Queen didn’t do gracefully. Keith was right beside her in this—especially of late, with the challenges and burdens that they had needed to deal with, some of which were still ongoing. Because of this, getting to sleep was difficult and, once there, it wasn’t something either of them wanted to give up too easily. A soft moan escaped Tera’s lips, followed shortly by a faint grunt from Keith. Both of them held each other just a bit tighter in anticipation of the coming day, taking a few last moments before life intruded.
“Time to get up,” Keith said quietly with his eyes closed.
“Mmmmm … must we?” Tera grumbled slightly.
“Yes, afraid so, my dear.” He squeezed her a bit tighter.
There was a soft knock on the door, as if life was confirming what Keith had already said. Both finally surrendered and opened their eyes to look at each other … both with a look of sleepy resignation. Keith slowly and reluctantly untangled himself from Tera’s arms and got out of bed. He slipped on a long, comfortable robe and headed for the door. Tera slowly sat up and slipped her feet into a pair of slippers by the side of her bed—red, naturally.
Keith opened the door and found two roses pinned to it. He looked around but could only hear the sound of footfalls fading down the hall. He gently pulled the flowers from the door, finding no note or anything to say who had left them. Closing the door behind him, he smiled as he saw Tera rise slowly from the bed. Then he waved the roses in front of her.
“I think we have an admirer,” he said lightly.
“Mmmm … then they should drop things off in the afternoon or evening,” Tera muttered, her voice mixing the grogginess of being tired with her usually snap.
Keith walked over and wrapped her in his arms for a moment, feeling her arms enfold him, as well. For a moment, they just stood there taking the strength from each other as they had for so long, both needing it more than they could put into words.
Finally, Tera looked up and managed a smile, “Shower first, and then I will need my coffee.”
Keith knew better than to get in Tera’s way when it came to waking up, “I’m sure we’ll have some here by the time you get out. Rachel never let us down yet.”
“Mmmm … better not,” Tera’s voice mock-threatened.
She started slinking toward the shower and Keith couldn’t help but smile as her tail came more alive with each step. It was always a pleasure to watch his Eternal come to life to meet each day. As she disappeared into the bathroom, Keith moved to the dresser and closet and began to pick out his clothes for the day. Once or twice his tail would snap a bit if he was unsure about which piece to pull out. It was, after all, important to looks his best as Tera’s King.
Dimly, he noted the sound of the water coming on in the bathroom shower and a faint wisp of steam a moment later. After all, it was a surprise to no one that succubi like a hot shower, and Tera was no different. He smiled, remembering some fond memories of them in the shower and turned back to choose his jacket for the day, wondering when Rachel would be around with the coffee. He could use some himself to be honest.
“AAAAHHHHHAAAIIIIEEE!!!!!!”
Keith, being an incubi, was not surprised easily or quickly. Things that went bump in the night were some of his best friends. But the sudden, glass-shattering scream of his Eternal from the bathroom made him almost jump out of his skin.
Tera’s scream was so loud that it echoed out from the balcony and out over both the Succubi Realm and the human realm. The human she called her heart peeked over the fence wondering what could have caused such a loud cry. Alei paused mid-flight to be sure she had heard what she thought she had. Several of the Queen’s sisters cocked their heads, thinking they must have misheard the sound, because Her Majesty simply didn’t scream like that.
His surprise lasting only a second, Keith dropped the jacket, spun around, and started a full-on run into the bathroom. He made it there in less than a second and vaguely noted the lack of steam in the room. To his relief, Tera was standing there, but he had rarely seen her so out of sorts. She was standing just outside the shower, naked and soaking wet, a large towel pressed to her body, not out of any form of modesty but out of need, it seemed. She was shivering all over her body and even her tail vibrated as if it were a tuning fork.
“Tera … what happened? Are you all right?” Keith said, running to her.
His Eternal gave him a look that he had rarely had directed at him. It was a look that basically said, “Are you kidding me?” “Do I LOOK all right?” she growled.
The King tried to hold back a smile. He knew she was upset, but whatever happened hadn’t been serious in the sense that harm had come to her. He quickly went over and embraced her and immediately realized the problem: she was ice cold. “Tera … your freezing! What happened?” he asked as he grabbed another thick towel and wrapped it around her tightly.
Tera, still shivering, accepted the towel and the embrace of her Eternal gratefully and quickly snuggled against him for warmth and comfort, “I was taking a shower. It was fine … hot and everything and then the … the water just went like ice.”
With that comment Keith became aware of the lack of steam in the bathroom and the fact the water was still running in the shower. He reached over and put a hand in and touched the water. It could only have been colder if it had been dripping off an icicle. “What in the Realm?” he muttered. This sort of thing simply didn’t happen in their world, and especially not in the palace. How had the water gotten so cold?
There was a loud knock at the bedroom door and they looked at each other in puzzlement. Keith grabbed another towel and wrapped Tera as best he could. He then grabbed her robe from a nearby hook and wrapped that around her, too. Normally he would simply wouldn’t have answered but, if it was Rachel with the coffee, it could only help warm Tera back up.
Tera didn’t need to be told what Keith was doing. She simply nodded that the worse was past, though Keith could tell she was still cold. Wishing he could split in two, Keith turned and headed for the door. This was becoming a very busy morning.
A second later he opened it. He wasn’t surprised to see Rachel there, deftly holding a small tray of coffee and fruit with one hand. What WAS surprising was that she had a very disgusted expression on her face. Not to mention the fact that she was not alone. Standing beside her, looking more than a little contrite, was Cassie.
“Keith, is Tera all right? I heard her scream. I think the whole Realm did. Is she ok?” Rachel asked.
Keith looked back toward the bathroom and winced, but managed a smile, too. “Yes … she was taking a shower and the water went ice cold. She … well, she didn’t react well.”
Neither did Rachel at the news. She glared daggers at Cassie, and Cassie in turn started getting a bit paler.
Cassie had always had a crush on Keith and had more than once tried to tease him into erotic adventures. He had politely and playfully managed to rebuff her and Tera, for her part, had been amused over all of it because she knew where Keith’s heart lay—Cassie would have a better chance turning the moon to cheese. Though more than once Cassie had succeeded, it had always been because both Keith and Tera had allowed it. After all, if the chaser doesn’t get a victory every once in a while, they may stop. Neither Tera nor Keith wanted to miss all that fun.
But given the sheer disgust that was being thrown Cassie’s way by Rachel, it was painfully obvious something was wrong. Cassie, usually so playfully flirty, looked like she was about to be paddled rather hard by the principal. “Here is yours and Tera’s coffee, Keith; I am sure she needs it. And I am also sure that Cassie has something important to tell you both. You see, I was bringing your breakfast and I saw Little Miss Flirt here coming out from one of the panels in the back wall about five seconds after Tera screamed.”
Keith’s eyes opened wide. This was unusual. Cassie may have been playful, but she wasn’t mean or vindictive. Besides, access to the water in the palace wasn’t something most people knew about, anyway. “Cassie … what did you do?” he asked, mystified.
“THAT is what I would like to know!” Tera’s voice answered from the bathroom. She was bundled up in a robe and several towels, clearly warmer but still feeling a bit of the chill from her ice shower. Keith noted that, while Tera usually kept her feelings internalized except for a choice few, at this moment her annoyance was very clear to everyone.
As the source of her annoyance, Cassie visibly gulped.
“Ah … well … I ah … Tera, I’m sorry. I was just planning on giving Keith the Ice bath after you left … it wasn’t meant for you! I thought I heard you walk out of the room! So, I turned off the hot water. I figured Keith would be freezing and …”
Tera sighed in weary understanding, “… and you would knock on the door and have some fun since he would need someone to warm him up and I would be gone, hmmm?”
Cassie gulped again, “Yeah … but I would swear you had left. I never would have done that to you.”
Tera snatched a cup of coffee and downed it quickly, savoring the caffeine and the warmth. Keith was very glad the look she was aiming at Cassie right now was not aimed at HIM.
“Rachel, thank you so much for the coffee. Your timing is perfect, as always. If you wouldn’t mind, I’ll talk to Cassie and catch up with you later. Can you handle some of the needs around here without me for a bit?”
Rachel looked over at Cassie and smiled, wondering what Tera had in mind, “Not at all, Your Majesty. Please let me know if I can help in any way.” She set the tray down and gave Tera a quick hug and kiss before slipping out. Keith didn’t miss the slight shiver she gave when she touched Tera’s still slightly cold and slightly wet body.
“Cassie … I indulge you shamelessly because your little schemes haven’t caused much in the way of harm. Plus, I never want to truly rule over my sister’s natures. I know what you do is part of who you are and I wouldn’t want to disrupt that. And I have faith in my Eternal,” she said as she smiled at Keith, “However, you need to promise me you will never, ever, do something like this again. If you do I might get … cross.”
The thought of Tera cross at her made Cassie seem to shrink a few sizes. She managed to look her oldest friend in the eyes and said a contrite, “Absolutely, Tera. I promise. I’m truly sorry.”
“Mmmm hmmmm,” the Queen said, moving closer to her. Keith had heard that tone before and had a sneaking idea where this was going, but he wisely stayed back and watched the show. If it went how he suspected it would it would be … amusing.
The slightly blue red-tail came within an inch of Cassie’s face and with one finger lifted her chin, “You promise, yes?”
The silver-tail’s voice was hardly above a whisper, “Yes, Tera.”
“Very well.” Tera leaned in and kissed her deeply, long and full on the lips. Cold or not, her Eternal could feel the heat of it from where he stood. Cassie’s eyes closed and she fell into the sheer power of the kiss, because even a Succubi’s mind would be slightly blown when kissed by the Queen. The kiss lasted for several seconds and, before it was finished, there was a slight “bamf” sound as Cassie popped out of sight with a wisp of smoke. Keith raised his eyebrows slightly and finally spoke, “Do I want to know where you sent her?”
His Eternal looked back and made that mischievous look that he loved so much. Without a word she pointed into the bathroom with one finger. Keith turned and realized what was about to happen. “Oh, you didn’t.”
Again, Tera didn’t say a word. The finger she was using to point at the bathroom fell in a sharp motion. And Keith heard the water in the shower turn on … and then, a second later, heard Cassie … and he was far from the only one.
“YEAAAHAOOOOOO!” Cassie bolted out of the bathroom like a shot. She was soaking wet and knew better to stick around, in case Tera decided to do something else. She raced to the door and was out it in a blink, icy wet clothes and all.
Keith couldn’t help but snicker slightly at Cassie’s reaction. Tera was in no way vicious or evil, but she DID have a naughty streak in her that came out when someone messed with her like that. She had caught Cassie more than once and always turned the tables on her in some form. This was one of the more direct ways, but Keith had to admit it was both worth it and amusing.
He noticed raven-haired love looking at the floor slightly even after her little trick. He walked over and enveloped her in his arms, towels and all. “You okay?” he whispered in her ear.
She sighed, “I’m wet, cold, tired, and there is a world of things that I need to do … that we need to do and, after this, I just want to crawl back into bed. Cassie meant no harm, I know, but still …”
He held her a bit tighter, “I know.” He thought for a moment and chuckled. Tera turned to him, a high arch in her eyebrow, because laughter wasn’t the response she thought would come from him. “Something funny?” she said, lightly but with an edge that warned he might end up in the shower himself if she didn’t like the answer.
Keith didn’t mind. In fact he realized something that made him chuckle all the more: “No, my dear. It’s just that … I couldn’t help but think of all the times we’ve both said over these last couple of years, ‘I just want to scream,’ and you finally got the chance and made the most of it. Never heard that from you before.”
Tera pursed her lips slightly and then, despite herself, she started to laugh along with him, “It was rather loud, wasn’t it?”
“I think our ancestors five generations back heard you,” he teased.
The Succubi Queen tried … she really did … to get miffed at that, but couldn’t deny it and continued in the shared laughter with her Eternal. It had been something neither of them had done enough lately. It felt good, and she didn’t want to lose it.
Before they both knew it they were laughing enough to tumble back into their bed, still giggling at the thought of Tera’s blood-chilling scream. After a long time that wasn’t nearly long enough, the laughter settled and she smiled. “That felt good, better than the shower at any rate,” she said lightly.
Keith stroked her hair, “Well if you’re still cold, I can think of one or two ways to warm you up.”
His Eternal opened her mouth to say they had too much, too many worries … and then shut her mouth again. Everything would be there after today. All the trials and issues wouldn’t go away but nothing would change that terribly in a day. If there was one thing that they had learned in the last couple years, it was how precious time was with those who were in your heart.
And, after all, she was the Queen and he was the King. The world could just deal for a day without them.
Stroking Keith’s face she called out lightly, “Rachel!”
As usual, no matter how soft it was, Rachel heard her, and her head popped in through the open door, “Yes, Tera?”
“Keith and I have issues to deal with. It will take a while for me to recover from Cassie’s little prank. I would say a day. If anyone comes looking for me, unless it’s an emergency, see to it we are not disturbed by anyone.”
Rachel smiled, understanding in full: “Yes Tera.” And she started to close the door.
“OH … and, Rachel?”
“Yes, Tera?”
The Queen made a wry face, “By tomorrow, I expect what Cassie did to be fixed … and please make sure our water is secure from little pranks like this in the future, too.”
Rachel smiled widely, “Already working on it, Your Majesty. It will not be a problem. See you tomorrow.” And she quietly shut the door.
They continued to look at each other for a time, each letting the presence of the other fill them and push away all the burdens for now. It was a moment they used to have quite often but now didn’t have often enough, and so they savored it.
Tera reached out to come closer and she noticed a change on Her Eternal’s face. “What is it?”
Keith’s mind thought back to everything for a moment, “Well, it’s just that Cassie said she thought she heard you leaving. That’s why she froze the water, because she thought the next person to use the shower would be me. But just before you got in there was that knock and those roses and I heard footsteps walking away … that must have been what she heard. What are the odds all that happening at once?”
Tera, who had been busy recovering from her ice bath and hadn’t really thought all that through, felt her eyes narrow. “Hmmmm. I wonder … I can think of someone who has pulled something like this before. Plus, now that I think about it, Cassie’s schemes have been playful but not too thorough in the planning. I am going to have to ask her about that when she and I get dry again,” she said, her voice filled with annoyed amusement.
“Still cold, my love?” Keith asked.
Tera pushed aside any further thoughts and said simply, “Freezing.”
“I think I can help,” Keith said as he moved closer.
The raven-haired succubi sighed and waved her hand and the curtains that had let the sun in quietly closed, blocking out the sunlight and the rest of the world for this precious time with her Eternal.
And then they both got warmed up.
From a building far away from the Palace, a figure noticed the curtains near the top close and knew what it meant. He had heard two screams from there (as had everyone else) and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what had happened.
Absently, he thought how he should use Cassie more in the future. Despite Tera’s indulgence, he didn’t really like her flirting so much with Keith. When you have two people who are Eternals, you just shouldn’t mess with it. But he knew she would try again. He would have to think about that.
Meanwhile, knowing what he wanted had been done, he pulled his hood and cloak a little tighter around him and turned away. Tera never shared burdens, so sometimes one had to be a bit inventive to give her a moment she wouldn’t allow herself. Helping with her burdens, after all, sometimes helped with his, which were like Tera’s and many.
The figure quietly headed for the door that would lead him off the roof. He could have slipped into the shadows but didn’t want to do anything that Tera and Keith might notice till he was well away. He opened the door and was startled when he saw a small card taped to the other side of the door. The card was all in red and very small. Knowing full well it hadn’t been there when he arrived he pulled it off and read the writing on it.
LATER for you, Legion. I would be wary if I were you … and thank you. Tera.
He shook his head and smiled and looked back at the closed curtains one more time. It was never easy pulling one over on the Queen, though he had once or twice. He thought about the laughter he had heard, the scream, the time that would now be shared that wouldn’t have been if it hadn’t been helped along a little. It was worth it. Tera and Keith always were.
Knowing it didn’t matter now, he slipped into the shadow. He decided to head for a waterfall he knew … because he wasn’t sure he trusted a shower right now.
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Hey, it's that captain whose leg got stuck in my teeth!
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There are moments when we lose touch, when we get wrapped up in episodes which take us away. But, in spite of this, regardless of the events, in the tapestry that becomes woven, there are echoes that are remembered. Within these comes the need to listen and …
Sing
By TeraS
The winds of summer blew across the sands of time, gathering the heat of the season, drawing it like a blanket over the Realm. The thoughts of wearing as little as possible—well, somewhat less than what most wore, regardless when they set their minds to passionate pursuits—came quite often now. Sweat made skin shimmer in the heat and sun, the breeze on occasion passing by those fortunate enough to have the moisture evaporated away before the heat, or the passions, made it return. Many a swimming pool dotted the Realm landscape, little oases in which the heat could be quenched by the cool crisp waters. They offered respite from the season at worst, and erotic delights at their best.
As much as these delights called, there was one particular red-tail who found herself not quite able to take these moments as others did. Oh, not that the idea didn’t bring a smile, nor that she refused as such; it was simply that she didn’t have the time to give towards that measure of temptation.
But the thing about temptation one should never forget is how undeniable she is. Her song never leaves the hearer’s thoughts; her music is unlike any other. The shiver and delight when this singer knows she has struck a chord, strummed a rhythm, captured a melody, is always held in the listener.
She awoke to the tender caress of lips, light hands exploring, seeking. Between the dreamworld and the Realm, her thoughts were a bit muddled and confused. Someone was humming softly, the words hidden beneath sing-song interludes that played as much as she felt those fingers exploring her curves. Her red silk sheets, cool to the skin and so needed in the heat of summer, slid over her skin, leaving her bare to Song’s temptation. Soft lips pressed against a calf, the muscle beneath giving a tremor as her tanned skin was suckled upon, lips moving slowly higher. Fingers with purpose delighted in trailing over thighs, gently nudging the focus of this desire to open herself to the Song that … no, who … awaited her.
The ebon-maned delight moaned in the midst of Song’s play, her lips pressed against the pillow as questing fingers trembled in need even as her legs parted, just as Song desired. A breath over damp folds brought a gasp of surprise and the red-tail turned over to see … nothing.
Gathering silk sheets to her chest, she looked about in confusion. She’d felt the touch of a song, the passion of the music still played about her core, but of the singer she saw nothing. She released the sheets, which pooled about her waist, leaving her cleavage bare to the ceiling fan above as it slowly turned, bringing some relief from the heat that burned within her. But the heat would not be quenched. No wind, no matter how cooling, could douse the fire now kindled. Shaking her head, Tera’s wild mane flew about even as she gathered her thoughts. Looking across her bedroom, she regarded the oasis of the bathroom and the shower within. The cool sheets beckoned for her to stay, to allow the song to play on. But the heat pressed upon her, the sheets slithered from her form as she moved through the fever to the next oasis on her journey. As the water began to fall over the royal form, from the sheets came the lilting giggle of delighted song.
The Queen of the Realm closed her eyes and allowed herself to be bathed in the cool waters falling upon her. Her wild, ebon mane soon was drenched in wetness, slick against her back. Red-tipped fingers soon found themselves draped around the shower head, bracing herself as her thoughts began to clear. The water helped to dampen the flames and she shifted her stance, allowing more of the cool waters to caress her mound and draw the heat away. But Song would not dim from her thoughts: the music played on within the succubi and her heat turned the waters to steam around her. The cool against her skin met with the heat of the steam, which soon clouded over the glass shower door, spilling out into the bathroom, enveloping all with an erotic vapor. She soon was ensconced in billowing clouds, not that she saw them, her eyes closed against the falling water that fought against her flaming heat.
Song returned to her, the music enveloping, delighting in the heat she’d created in her Mistress and lover. Fingers returned to Her Majesty’s skin and the white-haired flame gasped, the water trying to quench parted lips and questing tongue. Slick fingers curled over tanned hips, seeking, needing, Song trilling in delight. Wet lips nuzzled over titian-toned skin, heated and cooled, shivering and afire. Red horns sparkled in the waters as warm, wet skin met another heated presence. Shapely curves pressed against and into long, matted hair, sharp points of aching need buried into her mistress’ form, Song mewling in ecstasy for this moment. The music of passion enveloped the singer and her audience—or should we say instrument?—now as Song’s fingers sang their tune of devotion through her Mistress, pushing away the cool waters and replacing them with the heat of Song’s soul.
The music strained towards its crescendo, to explode throughout the melody’s peak and then, on the knife-edge of temptation, red fingers slipped free, ebon mane took flight as the tempting red-tail spun on her heels and so-green eyes opened to find … nothing.
The shower was thick with steam. The waters hadn’t quenched her fires and the damp wall found itself caressing the Queen’s back as she pressed against it in thought, but her thoughts did not focus for her, instead dancing with the music still playing within her. So-green eyes looked into space as the missing pieces of the tune danced with the ones that sung within her. Cooling down had not helped, the heat of Song made all part before that need. As that realization came, the listener smiled in bemusement and turned off the water.
Blue waters sparkled against the sun above, rippling as a hot wind blew across them. Red tiles of a particular colour marked the edge of the pool, bordering it from the surrounding patio. The heat of summer pressed onto the scene below: the kidney-shaped pool of blue and the single white chaise lounge nestled by its edge.
Song stood by the edge of the pool, her long, platinum white ponytail draped against the small of her back. She hummed softly, the music from her Mistress forever within her. The waters invited her to plunge within them, to slake her thirst, but she knew that they would not take away the need, want, or desire for her. Dark sunglasses perched on her brow as she looked towards the sun above and the rhythm continued within. Idly she traced a finger against her cleavage in thought, the white bikini she wore “borrowed” as she was far too hot, within and without, to bear wearing anything more. Teetering slightly on the white heels she wore—because Mistress loved to see her Song wearing them—she called out her refrain, willing her passion to appear. Arms wide, her voice brought the humming to words, the words to song and the Song herself brought the heat building within her to new heights. The rapture of her music camouflaged the sound of a patio door opening, the clicking of sharp red heels against the patio stones muffled and unheard.
Song’s gasp of surprise came as oil-slick skin pressed against her own. Her body burned in need as her ebon-maned Mistress entrapped her. Slick fingers drew over heated skin, leaving behind a sheen of wetness that bound them together. Red lips nuzzled against skin, heat passing between them. Mistress allowed her Song to turn, to see. Pink lips found red lips to suckle, nibble, moan against. Fires kindled in Song and temptation burned hotter than summer, making it seem like a cool breeze against the heat they shared.
Mistress’ smile was delightfully wanton and Song’s needs thrummed in expectation. She’d been ever so naughty, hadn’t she? Mistress would have to do something about that … wouldn’t she? Red-tipped fingers found the knots tying white bikini to wet skin, top and bottom soon being discarded onto the patio stones below. Her Song mewled needfully as Mistress drew her across the patio towards the chaise lounge. Heat within egged Song on, teasing at Mistress’ bikini, pulling at the strings, shivering as her desire was bared.
Song’s passions sang of her want, Mistress opening herself to them fully. Lips suckled over heated skin, gently licking and tasting her temptation’s sweetness. The music within them both fanned the fires into an inferno, a wave of heat far beyond anything the summer itself could create. Cries of passion made the waters of the pool turn to steam, billowing out over the patio like a sauna. Song arched in screaming ecstasy as her Mistress’ pleasure became her own. The Song of love and wonder sang for them and the summer watched in awe as their passions overcame all.
A sultry ballad, sung by two souls ever being as one.
Hovertext:
All of my future books will end with 'If you're reading this when I'm dead, eat shit.'
Crossword Puzzle!
We interrupt our regularly scheduled comic with this Crossword Puzzle of Heraldic Terms:
Clues on this site (and answer link):
195 Octo Krakens are much like octopi, but usually have 10 arms. A Decapus?
As of 3/12, the name Kraken won’t be used anymore, since it’s only from the last 200 years.
“As we desire to use period terms whenever possible, based on this research we will no longer use the blazon term kraken, but will instead use calamarie or cuttle-fish to describe squid. Due to the similarity with the modern word, we will use the blazon term polypus to describe the octopus. The SCA default orientations remain the same, with polypus defaulting to tentacles to base, and calamarie defaulting to tentacles to chief. There is no difference granted for type, only for orientation.”
196 Conga Why is it that Gloria Estefan playing in my head?
Of course charges cannot overlap is this manner, and the same charge in 3 different positions and colors… no.
Christian (Thanks!) pointed out that the way blazon rules are, all the lion’s tails would be ‘queued vert’ as vert is the first tincture mentioned after 'queued’.
185 Fountain Well, there are no other fountains but actual fountain, and the symbolic azure and argent one.
186 Ben Hur There’s no right way to blazon this - can’t be done.
181 Arrows are Palewise, point to base by default.
182 Use good primary colors for your art, be it a submission form, tabard or banner.
Two factor authentication is the neat technique of adding extra security by requiring two different types of verification. So, rather than ask you to provide two passwords — both things you could remember or find written down — if you are asked to provide a password and a code you could only have if you had a particular device, security is greatly enhanced.
The usual factors involved include asking for two from:
Hence the convenience of photo ID where you have to provide the ID and also look like the photo. Or provide a ticket and a code, or a chip and pin…
Also see: choose passwords that make you happy, and 8 character passwords.
Hovertext:
The point I'm trying to make is that we should have some government-guaranteed loans for the purchase of exotic cats.
A bit later this week will be the birthday of a dear friend. He might expect that there would be no marking of the moment, little in the way of remembering that important event. But the thing is, I’m not one to overlook moments shared when …
Moongazing
By TeraS
For Elliot …
Night in the Realm takes on aspects that offer shades of truth and vision. That is to say, for some, the night brings encounters where they see stars or other heavenly bodies which may or may not be found in the charts that map out the constellations above. Others never see the skies, the lights of the Realm being, in some places, just enough to overcome the stars, covering them in a haze of light and leaving those entwined in their own passage through the heavens to their own devices and discoveries.
But not all parts of the Realm are covered in lights; not all places have their own glow to captivate one’s attention without looking above. They are few and far between, but, for some, it is these places, and these moments, that open far more than the universe. They provide something more precious, more treasured than can be explained in words themselves. It is the actions which tell volumes.
Few in the Realm visit the Royal Astronomical Observatory. Fewer still know why it is located where it is. The Palace grounds lay some distance to the south of the Observatory, the centre of the Realm quite some more distance beyond that. One might, however, on a crisp, clear day, when the winds blew the tops of the tallest trees in the right way, catch glimpse of the snow-white tip of the main dome marking the building proper. A bare handful know why, precisely, there is but one path to what is called “The Sanctuary,” why the land upon which this all resides is called on the maps … “Moongazer.”
And only two know, in truth, why all this matters so.
The moon over the Realm waxes and wanes throughout the year. Much of the time the colour is a crisp white. On occasion there is a blue moon; some think that happens when the Queen of the Realm is feeling blue, but she only ever answers queries about this with a bemused smile.
Once a year—but only once and only on one specific evening—the moon rises from its sleep and begins to travel across the darkening sky as the sun bathes itself by the Lake of Fire. In that moment when sun sends arcs of red across the horizon, the moon turns a particular shade of red that is very reminiscent of a certain red-tail herself. Rather than rising high into the sky, the moon seems to hug the curvature of the horizon, almost like a ball being propelled across a table. The reddish hue remains, shadows of light and dark flickering over the valleys and peaks of its surface. The moon seems so large against the mountain ranges which seems to support it, the waters of the Lake like glass reflecting the moonlight in reply.
In the midst of this celestial dance, a solitary figure makes her way across the Realm. It is summer, but the warmth of day is slowly dissipating as the night’s cooler air seeps into the land. High heels have given way to flats: the path is, after all, made of rough gravel, not meant for sharp heels or similar things. This is a time for reflection, for consideration.
Tucking a lock of wild ebon hair behind one ear, she recalls the first hello, the moment which gave rise to all the moments that came after. The sound of the gravel underfoot seems to punctuate the moments in time: dearest expressions of something shared and desired, but in a way that gave new means to understanding what desire is; words spoken and written which seemed so simple and yet contained truths shared that no other words could.
Eventually the path begins to curve, to encircle the focus of her travels this night. In the depth of night now fallen upon the Realm, through the forests which surround this dearly-held place, brief glimpses of rough hewn stone topped with gleaming white panels appear. Curiosity drives all beings, the quest for knowledge even more so. As the tree line gives way, the quiet reverence of the temple to the celestial spheres makes itself known. Framed in the moon, curve below echoed by curve above, the symmetry of the universe, on this night, is made clear. She pauses there, on the edge of this “Sanctuary,” looking on the scene.
Crossing over the boundary, she doesn’t take the path towards the gates of the observatory, but rather she continues around the side of the circular building, on the circular path. Following the arc, the moon soon slips free of its dance partner this night. Off in the distance, an old wrought iron park bench now comes into view. Beyond that, just coming around the edge of this temple of both passion and reason, her Dearest appears. She notes his expression from afar, being sure that he could well reflect upon her own. Neither had brought burdens with them, being sure that the other was there and, in truth, this was all that mattered in the moment.
As in their first meeting, as in every one since, the moon, stars, and space await their arrival. The universe holds … not its breath, but rather its time. Everything could wait for the moment to be.
The embrace is loving, gentle. Words are not spoken, for they aren’t needed in this. The embrace gives way to holding hands, regarding each other. The time they have is all that matters, the time given comes and goes and is cherished for all that it allows these two souls passing in the night. The moon’s light bathes the scene—not to overcome it, but to illuminate the pair in their gathering of thoughts and emotions.
The bench is cool beneath as they settle in for the night. Fingers laced, he brings her hand to his lips, touching lightly. Her ebon mane drapes to the side as she rests her head upon his shoulder, their eyes watching the performance of the moon beyond.
The heart of the moon, marked in the sky, is matched by the hearts of two souls in understanding, moongazing both above and below, the passage of time held in the perfection of night, moon, and stars.
That is why the Observatory is up here. That is what these two friends discovered together: in the Realm, passion and reason walk hand in hand, hold each other like lovers, merging and never letting go. This Sanctuary is where these two intertwined souls may hold one another and observe their attachment playing out throughout this universe, and where, each year, they can grow with it and help it grow.
This is the dearest of moments held between two dearest of friends, in moongazing, but much more.
161 Old Glory
162 Road Work Pallets are thin Pales, which usually are found in pairs or threes. These are thin even for pallets.
