"Sorry about the tight fit." Amusement scratched Limini’s voice to a low husk. "I'm not really a ‘robes' kind of wizard."

"It's fine." Gretel bit his lip as he finished lacing the trousers she'd given him. Limini wasn't exactly narrow in the hips, but he'd always been curvy down there. He looked mournfully at his trousers, cast so carelessly into a tide pool earlier and now set out to dry. "I mean, I appreciate whatever you have, honestly."

"'Course!" She laughed, kicking her feet from atop the boulder she'd hopped up on. Her blonde hair wafted in the faint wind, making her look almost ghostly in the mist. "Far be it from me to forsake a fellow wizard in distress."

"Right." He smiled shyly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, which Tower did you attend, if you... don't mind my asking?" Her style of magic definitely wasn't anything like what he'd learned at the Ivory Tower. Each Mage Tower had its own schools of thought when it came to magic, though. The Ivory Tower was known for its focus on wards, sigilmancy and dream magic, and he knew the Teeth Tower up north practiced necromancy and spirit binding. That was about all he knew.

"Tower?" Limini laughed. "Aw, that's cute. No, sugar, I learned what I learned all on my lonesome."

"Really!" Gretel looked at the lake, to which he’d had to insist Limini return Jenny, then back to Limini. "I wouldn't have guessed. You cast as well as any Tower mage I knew."

Limini smirked. "I'm sure you mean that as a compliment, sweetie, so I'll take it as one."

Gretel blinked. He tried to quell the feelings of affront but couldn't quite hold them back. "Do you... doubt the Towers' results?"

Limini's smile made her eyes crinkle and narrow. Her leather overcoat billowed around her as she hopped down from the boulder, revealing appealing curves bound tight in leggings and a low-cut shirt. "Oh, I don't doubt they teach lots of fledglings how to spark a campfire or float a book to them, don't get me wrong. I got nothing for respect for that kinda magic. Me, I learned on the open road, the dungeon delve. The magic you learn adventuring... well, I don't mean any offense, sugar, but fancy Tower spells just don't tend to match up."

Gretel felt his cheeks heating up. "So you don't... think a firm grasp on magic theoretics is worthwhile?"

"Aw, I'm sure it's very powerful!" She walked up and slapped him on the back. Gretel jumped as he was pushed a little towards her chest, a gasp bringing in sweet air tinged with the scent of her exertion. "In, well, theory~"

Gretel glared up at her.

He didn't like feeling pretentious. He wasn't pretentious. But an untrained adept dismissing all his studies… he had to admit that rankled a little. "I think you'll find it pays off in the long run to understand the concepts behind the practice."

"I'm sure you're right." Her eyes twinkled with amusement. "So, what were you practicin' with that pretty kelpie?"

Gretel's cheeks burned, and he dropped his gaze.

"You seemed to be enjoyin' it, whatever it was. But I'll bet you had a clever magical plan all along."

"I was..." He bit his lip, scowling at the wet sand. "I was caught off-guard."

"Caught off-guard and trouserless. Poor thing. She reached down and tousled his hair, and his face got hotter. "Don't you worry, little lord. I'll keep you safe from here on out."

"I—I don't—"

"So, how'd you get this far into the Evergreen on your lonesome, anyhow?"

Gretel blinked. "The what?"

"The Evergreen." She rapped her knuckles on his head through his fluffy pink hair. "Sorry, sweetie, does the Tower have a special name for it? The Perpetually Bioluminescent Ecology?"

"Biolu—" Gretel bit back the correction to her vocabulary, realizing it would not help his case for the Ivory Tower one bit. "No, I meant, do you think… that's where we are?"

She stared at him levelly. "That's where I know I am, yeah."

"We're in the Greatest, Darkest Forest."

Her eyebrows raised. "Oh?"

She looked him up and down. Gretel felt his cheeks reddening—the tight leggings didn't do much to conceal that his cock was still hard. And a bit... bigger than normal, to be honest.

He wondered when the kelpie's gift would fade. The hardness, the heaviness, the... girth Jenny had given him. He wondered when it would go back to normal.

He wanted it to… right?

Limini reached out to cup his cheek.

Gretel was jolted from his thoughts, and his world tripped and bounced for a second in its haste to catch up. "Guh. Um. What—"

"Shh."

Gretel met her gaze, shimmering orange eyes. He found his voice quieting. "What are you doing?"

She put a finger to his lips. His breath caught. "H-Hey—"

"In," she said calmly.

"Buh—but—"

"In."

Without conscious thought, his lips parted, and her finger slid into his mouth.

His lashes fluttered. His lips closed around the finger, and he felt a strange temptation to give her finger a dainty little suck.

The finger popped out. He blinked rapidly as Limini lifted it to the air, as if testing the wind. She pursed her lips. "Thought so. Pixilated."

"Pix... what?"

"Pixilated." She smirked. "Oh, did they not have a word for that back at the Tower? Let me guess, fairies? Or maybe fauns?" She rubbed her chin. "You look like a faun's type of tribute."

Gretel blinked. His gaze fell to his feet. "I-I don't..."

"Probably surrounded you in lights, right? Had their way with you, maybe traded you around?" Her voice dropped low and husky. "Maybe you don't remember so well how you got away~?"

Gretel's head shot up. "No, I—"

His heart held a beat.

He took a deep breath.

"You don't remember." It wasn't a question.

"I... my memory's a little, um..."

"Spotty? Blotchy? Grainy?" She leaned in slightly, and her scent immersed him. "Maybe when you try to focus on the details, they get all blurred and your mind gets all fuzzy and you don't want to think about it anymore?"

Gretel rubbed his thighs together. "I, um..."

"Maybe you get a little horny when you try." Her bedroom eyes bored into him. "Like you had a wet dream you can't. Quite. Remember."

Gretel's mouth was dry. When was... the last time he'd had anything to drink?

"But..." He swallowed nothing at all. "But I... it's miles from the Evergreen. Tens of miles!"

"A long, long journey for a little treat like you." She batted her eyelashes. "I wonder what makes you so special?"

"B-But—but why would they—"

"Let you go?" she suggested.

Gretel bit his lip.

Limini took a step closer. She took his chin in his fingers and tilted it upwards. She leaned down close, full lips brushing his ear. "I don't think they did, little lord."

Everything in Gretel's mind seemed to be slowing down. Thickening. He breathed in Limini's scent, stared into her eyes, felt her hot breath on his ear. "I... I, um..."

"I think you're still in their little game," she purred, caressing his cheek. "Fauns follow all kinds of powers now that the Courts are gone. Maybe whatever you're a tribute for likes the chase."

Gretel's cock was throbbing. He was panting, staring into her fiery eyes, watching her luscious pink lips.

"Whatever it is, it probably makes that pretty kelpie look like a lost little lust sprite." Her other hand dipped down and gave his ass a pinch. "A little treat like you's just gonna get gobbled right up~"

Gretel panted.

"There are dangerous things in these woods, you know," she cooed. "Aren't you glad you've got me to protect you, sugar?"

Gretel tried to speak. All that came out was a whimper.

He stumbled back, nearly falling on his ass. "I-I have to go," he stammered.

"Go?" Limini raised an eyebrow. "Honey, you're in the middle of the Evergreen Forest. You're not going anywhere." She folded her arms. “Not alone, that’s for sure.”

"I—" His cheeks burned. "I can take care of myself."

Her eyes drifted downward. "Well, I sure hope so~"

Gretel bit his lip hard. He didn’t want to go out there alone. Not even a little bit. Limini’s talk had him spooked. And she seemed trustworthy enough, didn’t she?

But fool him once, shame on them. Fool him...

... however many times it had been, plus one? Shame on him.

"But you really shouldn't be goin' alone. Not while you're bein' hunted." She smiled slightly. "I could get you outta this. It's not out of my way."

"I—don't think I see the sense in trading a hunter," he retorted, “for a poacher.”

Limini's eyes narrowed. She took a step forwards him—and sprang back with a look of electric unease as he raised his hand and formed a great shield of shimmering runes between them.

"Thank you for your help,” he said. "Um, I’ll be going now."

Limini's arms folded. Her eyes glittered as she looked over the shield. He could tell she wanted to test it—wanted to see if her magic could corrupt it, as her kind of adeptry was meant to do. He almost wanted her to try. Wanted her to fail, to realize his training hadn't just been in 'theory'.

"You take care, then," she said at last. "The Gray Wraiths don't come around the Standing Stones area, but other things do."

Gretel gave a cautious nod, no idea what she meant, then turned and hurried off into the woods.

"Be seein' you," he heard her mutter.

~ ~ ~ ~

Gretel raised his hand and wrote a shield of wood-repellence. The fallen log practically flew out of his way. He stalked past, a storm of papery frustrations cluttering his thoughts.

Limini had gotten to him a little. It had been too long since he'd practiced his magic, and being condescended to by some... delver wizard rankled more than he liked to admit.

So perhaps he was using his magic a little liberally all of a sudden. He flicked his fingers, creating a little bubble around a mosquito and gently sending it a quarter-mile in the opposite direction. That didn’t mean he was suddenly insecure. It had a practical benefit. The more he used it practically, the less he would feel swayed by the... associations towards his mark that had formed since he'd left the Tower.

His sigil was not a pleasure point, a path to feeling good, a weakness every fey got to play around with. It was the center of his power, a rune of pure magic bound to his very soul. It was only so... sensitive... because it represented a gateway between the physical world, his spirit, and the paths of sigilmancy. Touching it was like touching a piece of his mind, his soul.

It wasn't a toy. Too long he'd let these fey use it like one.

He knew he was being pretentious when he looked down on Limini for her lack of formal education. He couldn't stand wizards like that—wizards like that gave a bad name to the Towers. Many of them had been his teachers.

Gretel didn't think he was better than anyone. He'd been lucky to get his education, lucky that the Ivory Tower had accepted his apprenticeship.

But those advantages had come with costs, too. Long, sleepless nights, binding oaths. Total isolation from the outside world. Having those costs dismissed by some petty adept...

As Gretel passed by a great tree laden with luscious pink peaches, perfectly ripe, he reached up and plucked one of the downy fruits from the tree as he passed.

He'd made the right call with Limini. He couldn't keep trusting every single pretty face that drifted into view, for pity's sake. He had to be more careful.

He bit into the peach, savoring its softness, its juice that dribbled down his chin, the sweetness that burst in his mouth. "Mmm!" The juice came as a relief as much as the sweetness—he was getting awfully thirsty, and hadn't found a stream yet.

His lashes fluttered as he chewed and finally swallowed. He went to take another bite.

A giggle fluttered into the air around him. His head shot up, and he sprang back in surprise.

A beautiful woman stood before him. A beautiful woman who had absolutely not been there a moment ago. She had pale skin that shone against the contrast of her skimpy dark green halter top, flowing dark umber skirt, vibrant green eyes, and, most noticeably, long, shimmering emerald-green hair that swept down over her left shoulder like moss down a slope.

Any fool could tell she was fae. Her ears were pointed, and there was something... off about those big eyes. An ancient wonder, an alien innocence.

Gretel wiped his mouth, suddenly conscious of the peach juices dripping onto his shirt. "Um... hi."

"Hi!" She beamed, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning towards him. "My name is Esca! What's yours?"

Gretel's eyes lingered just a moment too long on her chest, thrust outward and made to bounce by the suddenness of her motion, then met her eyes. "Um, my name is Gretel. Of the Ivory tower." He hoped that mentioning his Mage Tower might give her second thoughts about trifling with him, though by the way she tilted her head cutely to the side and blinked at him, he doubted she even knew what a Mage Tower was.

"Ooh, that's such a pretty name!" She giggled. "Isn't it, like, a girl's name, though?"

"Well, it… was." Gretel's cheeks colored slightly. "Now it's a boy's name."

"Oh!" Esca's bounced from heel to toe with delight. "Well, it's a very handsome name—" She bounced forward a step. "—for a very handsome boy~!"

Gretel felt his cheeks get hotter as little happy flutters came from within. "I, um, thank you!" He couldn't help himself.

"Teehee, no need to thank me." Her lashes fluttered. "Although maybe a little kiss could be nice, if you really wanna make me happy~"

Gretel blinked rapidly. He willed his fluttering heart to settle down. "I... I'm, um, flattered, but..."

He trailed off, unsure what to say. Esca just kept smiling at him, that sweet, innocent smile. It was hard to tell if she'd just been joking. She certainly didn't seem like the seductive type, with those big, pretty eyes, so vacant of wit or guilt. The way she sucked idly on a fingertip, blinking up at him, it was as if the thought of deception had never once in her entire life occurred to her. Surely she wasn't...

Gretel realized he’d started leaning forward and furiously pulled himself back. Esca smelled good. Like cherries and cream, rich and vibrant and sweet. He'd met enough 'bimbos' during his travels to know that they could still be extremely dangerous.

Well, 'dangerous' by a certain measure. He swallowed, remembering the fauns...

"What, um, forest are we in, by the way?" he asked, desperate to change the subject—and still hoping, deep down, to prove that Limini had been lying.

"The Evergreen Forest!" Esca giggled. "Ooh, do you not even know what forest you're in?"

"N-No, I—" Gretel squirmed, reaching down to surreptitiously adjust his tight pants. "I was, just, um..."

"Just, umm," Esca mimicked, and laughed with delight. "You're so cute!" Her eyes lit up. The nymph clapped her hands together. "Ooh, I know! If you’re lost, you should come back with me! The others would just adore you."

Gretel felt his breath get shallow. "Others?'"

"Sure!" She beamed. "Me, Cicuta, Lisura, and—" She took another step closer, and again, Gretel felt his gaze drawn to her jiggling boobs. "Others~"

Gretel's head was spinning. Esca’s breasts were nearly impossible to look away from, round, soft pillows big enough to squish so enticingly against one another in that tight, threadbare top. "I, um. I."

"‘You, um, you’." Esca smirked, reaching up to cup her breasts with both hands. "Wow, you're sounding as silly as a lust sprite. Ooh, maybe we could introduce you to some so you could have a real conversation!" She pressed in close, bouncing her breasts in her hands. "Would you like that? You could stare at their pretty bouncy boobies aaallll day long!~"

"I..."

"I think you'd like that." She leaned in closer, reaching up a hand to not-so-gently guide his head downwards. "Heehee! You seem to really like mine~"

"..." Gretel tried to speak, but her voice was so… sweet, and her tits were so nice when they bounced up and down, so easy to stare at. Her heat pressed in, and he felt her leg rubbing against his thigh.

"Come on, cutie," she cooed. "Don't you want to follow a pretty fey home?"

"Wait," he panted.

"Uh-huh, that’s right!” She wiggled happily from side to side, just the slightest trace of a smirk gracing her cute, innocent face. Weight! My boobies look soooo heavy, aren't they, sweetie?" She giggled. "Sooo full. Just begging for a cutie to latch on and be my lovey-dummy little mortal~!"

"N-No—"

She pulled back, and briefly, Gretel felt like he'd been given a reprieve. But something sparkling in her eyes told him nothing could be further from the truth. Esca swayed from side to side, and his eyes helplessly traced the motion of her jiggling swinging breasts. "You wanna follow them, don't you?" she asked sweetly.

"I..."

The fey raised a finger and slowly curled it inward. Beckoning him closer.

Gretel felt himself getting harder, felt his cock straining against the thin fabric.

Esca's eyes settle upon it, and he couldn’t help but whimper in embarrassment. Her lips parted, and she cooed in delight. "Oh, wow, I think you liiike this! You love a pretty girl teasing you, huh? Gosh, Cicuta’s just gonna…!” She rubbed her thighs together, biting her lip. “You wanna follow me… sooooo bad, don't you?'

"N-No, I—" Gretel tried to cover himself, but moving at all felt so hard, and the only thing he could imagine doing right then was taking another step forward. And another. And another. Or just reaching down and grabbing his cock and…

She curled her finger again until it pointed between her cleavage. His eyes followed, and he found himself taking a step.

"Teehee, thaaat's it," he heard her coo, as she swayed lightly back and forth, tits bouncing. "Follow my tits. Follow my bouncy boobies. That's all mortal boys ever wanna do, isn't it?"

Gretel watched Esca's tits squish slowly together.

"Boobs go squish," she sang. "Make a wish~"

"I... n-no..."

The fey beckoned again with a sly smile.

Gretel took another step. His head swam with desire. He watched her finger curl, reeling him in, spooling his will around her delicate digit like a single thread of spider’s silk.

"Shh, silly boy." She squeezed her arms around her chest, and as they squished together again, Gretel felt his mind squish, too. He whimpered. "That's it. Just give in. It's gonna feel... oohh..." She groped a tit. "... sssooooo good..."

"G-Good," he panted.

"Goooood." She giggled. "Good boys just drool over pretty girls' tits, don't they? Good boys are addicted to bouncy boobies, aren't they?'

"ahh… dickteddd…"

Esca's eyes sparkled out of the corner of his vision. "Teehee, that's right, silly! Your yummy dummy dick is making all those… hhhaaard... choices now." She bounced in place. "And who controls your dummy a-dickted dick?"

"You," he moaned, and stepped within reach.

Esca grabbed him by the shirt collar. Gretel felt a moment's spike of fear, struggled, tried to pull back—

"I bet any girl, really," she said sweetly, and pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss.

Gretel thrashed, moaning in protest. Her soft lips smacked against his, plump and soft, so supple. Her tongue slid into his mouth, so sweet, so nimble, so dominant. Her sweet moans filled his ears, filled his body, submerged him in sweet, seductive music.

His struggles slowed. He... what had he been...

Esca—sweet, beautiful, angelic Esca—wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close, sucking on his upper lip, lewd sounds rising from her as one kiss melted into a second, then a third, as she pressed her hot, enticing body against his—

Gretel couldn't breathe. He didn't want to. He just wanted more. More touch. More kisses. Esca's kisses were so nice, so soft and wet, so indulgent and sloppy, and he needed more, more, more—

Gretel felt his arms wrapping around her, groping her soft ass, and he leaned into the kiss, hopeless, helplessly molten and soft and weak. Just like all mortals were for beautiful fey. Just like all boys were for pretty girls.

He thought he heard a rustle nearby, a snapped twig. But then Esca's tongue wrapped around his own and he lost all mental function for a moment.

Esca pulled away, her lips giving a subtle pop! She smiled sweetly at him, twirling a lock of hair around one finger, a perfect, sweet, innocent bimbo. Gretel stared, his mind numb and pulsing with need.

He felt her hand slip down to graze delicately over his bulge. His cock twitched and leaked with need beneath her dainty fingertips.

The nymph’s smile widened, and she looked back up at him with an expression of pure candied glee.

"AWWW~!" She leaned in with a bratty, mischievous smirk. "Did someone have a little fuuun with the kelpies~?"

He whimpered.

She sucked on a fingertip, eyes looking him up and down, gleaming with desire—and greed. She cocked her head to the side and giggled. "Lucky me~"

A long, slender hand cupped her cheek, and a voice rang out as sweet and smooth as warm honeyed milk.

"Oh, yes, lucky you~"

Esca froze. Gretel's eyes managed to briefly leave Esca to look to her left.

A woman had emerged from the bushes while they'd been distracted. She wore little save a skimpy wrapped bandeau and pair of daisy dukes, and Gretel's world immediately melted a little bit more into goo at the sight of her bared skin—such luscious curves, such massive, soft breasts squished together by the tight top…

“Marise!” Esca squeaked. Was it just Gretel’s horny imagination, or were her cheeks suddenly as pink as her lips?

"Oh, my sweet, beautiful Esca." Marise took a step closer, her smile sultry and smoking with amusement, and Gretel only belatedly noticed the cow horns rising atop her head. "It's always such a treat to see you straying from the glade."

"I-I, um—" Esca took a step back, giggling nervously.

"Did you get lost, my little bimbo?" Marise cooed, extending a finger. Gretel watched Esca's lips half-part. Marise curled the finger inward, and Esca leaned forward almost imperceptibly. "Do you need the gentle help of a pretty fey to guide you back?"

"I..." Esca's eyes seemed to cross as the finger curled again, and she leaned forward until her chin rested upon the tip. "I'm... nnggh..."

"Such a silly little bimbo," Marise teased, tipping Esca's chin up, guiding her to step closer. Gretel's cock throbbed as he saw Esca oblige. "Such a dumb, pretty little bimbo. Don’t you know you need other girls to take care of you? Really, now, wandering so far from your lovers… very silly of you.”

"Ooh..." Esca giggled. “Oopsy…”

The fingertip rose to Esca's lips. Esca's lips parted to admit it, and Gretel watched as the nymph began to sweetly suckle.

Marise smirked. "Good girl. Now, can you find your way home, or should I show you~?"

She pulled the finger away. Esca's lips remained parted and drooling for a second before she snapped to attention. "I—! I know the way, M—Marise!"

She turned and skipped back into the woods, leaving the two of them alone.

Gretel's heart was racing. Esca had put him under in seconds. Anyone who could get her that spooked, who could so easily put her in her place...

And yet his head was still spinning. He stared at Marise, trying not to let his gaze dip lower than eye level. He had to keep his wits, not let his reservations drop for even a single—

Marise turned to him with a dazzling smile. She twirled a lock of curly hair around one finger, giggling. "My goodness, you poor thing. She's really a very sweet girl, she just lingers around a bad crowd. You won't hold it against her, I trust?"

For a moment, everything in Gretel's heart melted into honey. He swallowed. "Um. N-No." Of course not!"

—second.

"Oh, good." She reached over and tousled his hair. "I knew you looked like a darling."

"I... I, um..." Gretel's cheeks were read. "Thank you for the... rescue. I don't know how she got under my guard like that."

'"Oh, you mustn't blame yourself!" She fixed him with a firm look, tilting his head back slightly with her fingers in his hair. "Esca has a very disarming personality. It’s part of why I adore her so much."

"Right." Gretel swallowed. Being puppeted like this was... something he should not read into. "Well, I really, really appreciate it. Really. But… but I should probably be g—"

"What's your name?" she asked, as if he hadn't spoken.

Gretel swallowed. "Gretel, ma'am."

She smiled warmly. "Gretel. What a pretty name. Tell me, Gretel, where is it you should probably be going to?"

Gretel hesitated. "I, um... well, to tell the truth, ma’am, I'm not sure. I sort of... well, I'm a little lost right now."

"Lost in the Evergreen." Marise shook her head sadly, tutting. "My, my, you do take looking after, don't you?"

Gretel felt like hot pink stars were coming into being inside him. Everything felt warm and blushy in him right now. "I-I didn't. Well,. It's, um, complicated, is all."

"Of course it is," Marise cooed. "And you must be overwhelmed/ at all of it! I mean, really, leaving the path alone in the Evergreen Forest. Didn't you have anyone taking care of you?"

Something about her wording had him flustered, but he couldn't name what right now. Not with her pretty eyes so close. Her scent reminded him of chocolate chip cookies. Sweet and rich. Buttery. Irresistible.

And he couldn't even really argue the point. She was right. Limini had been right. He couldn't take care of himself. He'd wandered right into danger.

"I—" He nibbled on a knuckle. "I, um, I might—well, it's—"

"Anything could happen off the path in the Evergreen Forest." Marise took a step closer, and Gretel’s gaze drifted downwards. Anything.

Gretel's head was sinking. He was vaguely conscious of Marise's hand there, but was she guiding him? or was he just...

... that...

... helpless…

He stared at Marise's tits. Such soft, enchanting beauty. So much was revealed by her outfit, and yet the little that remained unseen tormented him. He felt the peach fall from his hand. "I..."

"Anything," she whispered. She let go of his head and reached down to give one of her massive breasts a long, indulgent squeeze. "You poor thing. Wandering lost without a pretty girl to take care of you!"

"I—but—I—"

Her fingertip brushed his lips. Something about her delicate caress made his mouth involuntarily involuntarily.

He’d once read that a fey's touch, a fey that was truly, deeply fey, had powers beyond mortal comprehension. Its very existence could spellbind, for she embodied the Real more profoundly than any mortal could ever comprehend.

Marise wasn't fey in that way at all.

He was just too fucking weak to resist her as she slid that finger past his lips and he began to suck.

He tasted milk on her fingertip. Sweet, creamy milk. Just a droplet. But enough. Pleasure began to fill his body, and he felt his mind going limp.

Marise smirked and wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him close. "Good boy~"

He stared at her tits, docilely suckling, and moaned softly. It might have been agreement. Everything felt too melty for words all of a sudden, and his mouth was full, anyways.

With a laugh, the holstaur led Gretel by a mere fingertip off into the depths of the Evergreen Forest.

"Now let's see about getting you home~"