“I should probably get this thing off,” Caleb said, gesturing towards the condom. 

“Right, right.” I rolled off of him and onto the floor. 

He wandered into the kitchen, leaving me alone with my thoughts, which mostly consisted of “Wow.” I never knew it could be like this, the sex; the hypnosis, any of it. Better than I could imagine was an understatement. Caitlyn would never believe me. I started laughing just imagining the conversation. 

“What’s so funny?” Caleb asked through the open bathroom door. “Laughing at my condom disposal technique?” 

“No, Sir, wasn’t even looking. Besides, I wouldn’t know enough to judge.”

“Well good. It’s hard to look cool while doing it.” 

“I’m sure you managed,” I said, rising to my knees. 

“Still wanna talk about hypnosis?” he asked, returning to the living room and offering me a hand.

“Yeah that would probably be smart. I’ve sure been thinking about it enough.”

He pulled me upwards and straight into his arms, kissing me as he did. “I warned you about saying stuff like that.” 

“I know, but when I do, you always kiss me or do . . . other things,” I said with a mischievous little smile. “You really weren’t paying attention in psych. If you don’t want me to do something, you shouldn’t reward it so much.”  

“I think I’m training you just fine,” he said before giving me another kiss. 

Training me? Did that bother me? I wasn’t some little pet, learning tricks. Or maybe I was. I was already getting used to obeying him, and was that so bad? It was all just for fun. It’s not like I actually had to do what he said. 

“Annie?” 

I mean hypnosis couldn’t make me do anything I didn’t want to, right? I was just enjoying turning my brain off for a while. 

“Annie? Are you spacing out again?”

I mean, sure my mother would be mortified if she had any idea what I was up to, but that didn’t make it wrong. 

“Annie, wake up.” Caleb said with a snap.

“Yes, Sir,” I yelped, snapping out of my thought spiral. Shoot, maybe he was training me. “Sorry, just lost in thought again. Talking would be a good idea.” 

We each put our underwear back on and took a seat on the couch. 

“So, what do you want to know?” 

“Gosh, where to start? I guess where did you start? How did this all happen?” 

“Well, I’ve always liked feeling in control, for as long as I can remember,” he said, looking down.  

“And then you went ‘Ah, yes hypnosis is A. real and B. a good way to feel in control?’”

“Well, there’s no better form of control. Once you get a taste for hypnosis, it’s hard to go back to more tame kinks.”

I certainly saw how that could be true. “But how did you even know it was a thing? I only knew about it from cartoons, and that almost scared me off.”

“Also cartoons, though I guess it didn’t exactly scare me, more like fascinated me. I watched that old episode of Scooby-Doo, the one with the clown and the coin. I’ll never forget it.”

“I remember that one,” I said as pieces started slowly clicking together in the kinky jigsaw puzzle that was Caleb. “That’s why you like redheads!” 

“Huh, you know, I never thought about it like that, but you’re probably right.” 

“I guess, I should just be happy you didn’t develop a thing for clowns.”

He shot me a serious look. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.”

We stared at each other in silence for a second. I could feel my cheeks heating up. Did he really? He had mentioned a clown suit before. Was that another thing I didn’t know about?

“I’m just kidding.” 

“Don’t do that!” I said, slapping his arm. 

He just started cackling. “Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”

“I thought I hurt your feelings.”

He stopped laughing and looked at me sweetly. “You just cared that you might have hurt my feelings?”

“Of course,” I said, crossing my arms and huffing. “I was scared to try hypnosis and that turned out great. Like I said, I trust you. Whatever you’re into, I’d at least give it a try.”

He pulled me into a hug. “Thanks, Annie. That means a lot.” 

“Yeah, of course.”

“People aren’t always so understanding.” 

“Is that why you’ve had so many girlfriends? The hypnosis scares them away?” Wait, that’s rude to ask. You’re not supposed to ask about things like that. Shoot, it just slipped out. 

He pulled back and looked to the side. “I mean . . . basically yeah.” 

“And they weren’t willing to compromise or anything?” 

“It’s not always that simple. The idea of being under someone else’s control doesn’t appeal to everybody. Some of them tried, but it didn’t really click for them. I haven’t had anyone like you. You’re a really talented subject, Annie.”

My cheeks were getting hot again. “I don’t know what’s talented about it. I just listen to you talk and then the next thing I know, I wanna rip your clothes off. Even more than usual.” 

“It’s a skill. You must have a really vivid imagination.”

“I guess that makes sense. I could always get lost in movies and books and such. I grew up in kind of a small town, and I was an only child, AND I was home schooled. Things could get pretty boring, so stories gave me an escape.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were so lonely. Now I really wish I’d met you sooner.”

“It’s ok. I didn’t feel lonely. My parents loved me and I had the full run of the library. I didn’t really know what I was missing until I came here,” I said, looking away. “You asked earlier why I liked hypnosis. You thought it might have to do with my anxiety, and it does help with that, but that’s not why.” 

“I still don’t follow.”

“It makes the stories feel real. When you suggest something it’s like anything is possible, like I could be anywhere, do anything. All the adventures I’ve read about are just right there waiting for me.”

“Yeah I suppose that’s true, or it could be if you see it that way.” 

“If I see it that way?” 

“Yeah, it’s all about what you believe. If you believe something is possible, then with hypnosis it’s possible. If you can’t imagine it, then it won’t take. Maybe that’s why you’re such a good subject.”

I felt a wave of heat racing lower through my stomach at being called a ‘good’ anything. I thought back to all the suggestions we had done. “I see. I mean I already find you super attractive, so maybe that’s why all those suggestions worked so well.” Then something occurred to me. “Come to think of it, most of the suggestions you’ve given me relate to finding you attractive. First you made yourself smell irresistible. Then you made doing what you say feel great. And today, you basically turned my drink into a love potion. You know you didn’t have to do any of that. I’m already really into you.” 

“Yeah, I know . . . I mean . . . it’s just that . . . it’s sort of a fantasy,” he said quietly. 

Who was this shy wallflower? Had he turned into me all of a sudden? I put my other hand on his. “You can tell me anything, you know?”

He laughed, a quiet laugh. “I just don’t wanna ruin your image of me.” 

“What does that mean?” 

“You think I’m perfect. I don’t want you to think less of me.” 

“Nothing you could say would change how I think of you,” I said, giving my best reassuring smile. 

He looked down at the floor. “You don’t know that.”

“Try me.” 

A long pause hung between us. He was weighing something. Finally Caleb gave a sigh and spoke. “You think I’m some cool guy who’s always smooth and in control, but that’s just a face I put on. Really, I’m a nervous mess. In high school, I couldn’t get a date to save my life. That’s when I got into hypnosis and why all my suggestions are like that. I tried to change things when I came to college. I decided to be ‘Cool Caleb’, to be the version of me that people wanted to see. But it’s all just an act. Deep down, I just want to be loved.”

It took everything I had not to cry. The greatest guy I knew felt like that? “I don’t love you because I think you’re perfect. I love you because you care about me, because you make me feel like I don’t have to worry so much, because you’re so kind.”

He just looked at me for a second. Then he said, “You love me?” 

I practically choked on my heart as it jumped out of my chest. Did I really just say that? Stupid Annie! You’re not supposed to say things like that this early, no matter what you feel. It had only been like two dates, maybe two and a half dates, but still! I clapped my hands over my mouth, like that would somehow pull the offending words back in. Everything was going so well, and I just had to ruin it. Why can’t I ever just shut my mouth? 

His laughter cut to my soul. I slipped up and now Caleb was actually laughing, just hemming and hawing like my feelings were a joke. The sting started to build up behind my eyes. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he said, finally regaining control of his breath. “It’s just funny because I feel the same way, but I figured you’d think I was crazy if I said it this early.” 

“What?” I gasped through my hands, before lowering them again. “Does that mean?” 

“That I love you?” He finished with a dopey grin. “Of course it does.”

“Even though it’s only been like two dates?”

He shrugged. “Call it two and a half.”

The tightness in my chest vanished, and suddenly I could breathe again. I fell forward onto his chest. “Don’t laugh next time. You just about killed me.” 

“You’re right,” he said, wrapping a protective arm around my shoulder. I’m sure there must be some way I could make it up to you.”

That gave me an idea. I lay against him, thinking about it for a second. Maybe it was too silly, but then again. “Well now that you mention it. . .”

“Annie, what’s with the mischievous little grin?” 

“Oh nothing. It’s just that there has been something I’ve wanted to try . . .with the hypnosis I mean.”

***

The better part of a week passed before we could put my idea into practice. I flew through my classes like a bird, soaring high above the mundane drudgery of school life. How could I worry about classes when I had a hot boyfriend who loved me? I didn’t get to see him much that week because Echo Street was playing at Senior Night and he was busy practicing some new song, but that was ok. We texted all the time. I even gave his number the highest honor my phone could award: no last name, just “Caleb”. Only illustrious contacts like “Caitlyn” and “Mom” had joined such an exclusive pantheon, and now Caleb, my actual boyfriend.  

Everything felt different. The nagging voices in the back of my head were still there, but they were quieter. It was like all the things I used to worry about didn’t matter so much. Who cared if I said something dumb in class, I already had a boyfriend. I even made plans to go out with Olivia and be her wingwoman. Imagine that, me a wingwoman. 

But at long last, Saturday morning rolled around. The soft pinging of my phone pierced the fog of sleep and I began burrowing out from under my pillows and stuffed animals. I looked out the window, nervous the weather would spoil my plans, but found a calm sky with just a few clouds waiting outside. What a relief. 

I got up and rummaged in my closet, finally extracting the fancy dress I had bought at the Renaissance Faire. The dress had a corset of rich forest green, embellished with patterns of gold flowers, like the cover of an antique book. It squeezed my breasts together, greatly exaggerating the fullness of my chest. Before last week, I had been a bit self conscious about that, but now it just made me laugh. 

It felt a little silly to get so dressed up just to go to the school’s botanic gardens, but I knew it would feel perfectly natural soon enough. I hopped on the shuttle, which was thankfully empty this early in the morning and made my way to the gardens. The gardens had to be my favorite place at school. The rest of the school was all red brick and boxes of glass, very stereotypical-college-movie vibes. But here you could feel like you were in a fantasy world. Tall trees lined the edges of the trails, screening them off from the rest of the world.  Within the dappled shade, narrow paths wound their way between beds of gravel or mulch, each of which housed different exotic plants. There was a flower with long white petals colored by bursts of red, one with tall stalks covered in little purple buds, and even a whole section of different colored roses. I was not a plant expert, but the botanic gardens were like something out of a fairy tale. 

We had said to meet here at eight. At five after there was still no sign of Caleb. I texted him and got a quick “running late” in response. Finally at ten after, an uber pulled up and he stumbled out. He wasn’t nearly as dressed up as me. He’d gone with a white button up shirt and black jeans, not that I expected him to have an outfit like mine. His normally perfect hair was disheveled, which I attributed to getting ready in a hurry and not a character choice. 

“Sorry I’m late,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “It was a long night of practice. Gotta get ready for Senior Night and we’re still working on the new song.”

“Feel like telling me what the song is yet?”  

“I told you, it’s a surprise,” he answered with a yawn and a stretch. 

I gave him a playful poke in the ribs. “Hey, I’m supposed to be the sleepy one, remember?” 

“Very funny,” he said with a slow blink, before his eyes opened wide and locked onto my chest. “Oh, wow, Annie. That dress looks . . . um . . .great on you.” 

“Oh, does it?” I couldn’t help but giggle. “You know you’re staring?” 

“Can you blame me?” He said, stepping closer and pulling me in for a kiss. His lips were soft and he tasted like . . . toothpaste. 

“Of course not, Sir,” I purred into his ear. “I like it when you look at me like that. I just didn’t want you to get hypnotized.” 

“Some people are really into that. It’s a whole sub-genre,” he said nonchalantly. 

“Getting hypnotized by someone’s chest?”

“It’s called tit-nosis.”

“Huh.” I tried to imagine that. The image of fireflies that Caleb used for me was so engrossing and captivating. It was hard for me to imagine someone getting that lost in someone else’s boobs, but then again I wasn’t a boy. “To each their own, I guess. Anyway, you’re supposed to be hypnotizing me, and I don’t think you have the breasts for that. Do you remember the scenario I wanted to do?” 

“Of course. I’ve got it all written out right here,” he said, holding up his phone. “I’ve got no problem with role play, but are you sure you want to do this? You seemed pretty squeamish about doing stuff in public the other day.” 

“That’s why we came so early! We’ve got the place to ourselves.”

Caleb looked around, as if noticing the botanic gardens for the first time. “Yeah this place is pretty cool. I didn’t even know the university had a place like this.”

“Most people don’t, or at least don’t bother coming out to them, but I like to come here and read. Now let’s get this show on the road before other people start showing up.” I knew I was playing with fire, but living my fantasies in a place like this was worth the risk. Arguably I’d been playing with fire since my first night with Caleb. 

“One last question,” he said, as I tried and failed to contain my impatience. “Do you mind if I make just a couple tweaks to my character to make it hotter?”

I rolled the question around in my mind. “I guess that’s fine. It is your character, after all. Just keep my character and the setting the way I imagined them.” 

“Deal.” he extended his hand for a shake. 

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. We were just having a conversation, it didn’t need a hand shake, but still I took his hand and . . . 

“SLEEP!” His voice shattered my train of thought, just as he pulled me into his arms. The whole world fell away as I tumbled forward into his embrace. My mind reeled, trying to reorient, but the torrent of his words had already started, telling me to relax and sleep, reminding me how good I was at sleeping for him. I tried to think, but his suggestions were always right there, offering peace and deep, relaxing sleep. Every thought, every idea just turned to sleep, so I stopped trying to think and let myself sleep deeply. A soft sigh escaped my lips as I slumped against him, then nothing. 

He kept speaking, the words pouring into me. I knew what he was saying, I’d written the scene, but that didn’t seem to matter anymore. I felt totally blank, totally open. He probably could’ve told me I was a seal and I’d have woken up barking and clapping, but I trusted him so I didn’t worry about that, or listening or anything. I just heard and obeyed. I love to obey.

“And wake up, not remembering being hypnotized, but acting on everything I’ve said.”

I gave another contented sigh as my eyes drifted open to see Sir Caleb staring down tenderly at me. His arms felt warm, and safe, and . . . totally inappropriate! I started and pulled away. I straightened, doing my best to dust off my gown and adopt the dignified posture befitting nobility. “Sir Caleb! It’s most unbecoming for a knight of your station to lay your hands upon a young maiden like this in the royal gardens. Why, if my father even knew I was meeting you this morning, he’d be scandalized.”

“Oh, please pardon me,” he said, snickering and not looking the least bit apologetic. 

I scoffed. “Do you find something amusing, Sir Knight?”

He actually had the nerve to laugh more. “Sorry, Sorry. I’ll stop. I promise,” he said, pausing to catch his breath. “I’m simply so overjoyed that you agreed to meet me, Princess.” 

“As you should be. You’re lucky you’re possessed of such incredible charm.”

“Thanks, Annie.”

I gave another dissatisfied humph. “Please address me as Annette-Marie or Your Grace. Honestly, it’s as though you’ve forgotten all manner of chivalry.” 

“Your full first name is Annette-Marie? We’re talking about that later,” he murmured, as though I couldn’t hear him. “Please forgive me, Your Grace. I promise to be on my best behaviour.”

“See to it that you do,” I said, extending my elbow. “Now will you lead me for a stroll through the gardens, like a gentleman? Or do you intend to stand around and keep gawking at my bosom?"

Sir Caleb hooked his arm through mine and we began to walk. “Please, you insult my honor, Your Grace. How could any man not notice your incredible beauty?”

“I am a Princess, good knight. My heart shan't be won by simple flattery.” Yet, despite myself, I could feel my cheeks flush at his praise. “Still, I find such comfort in your presence,” I whispered. 

“I feel the same way,” he said, sliding his arm down and moving to hold my hand.

I licked my lips at his breach of etiquette. I knew I should chastise him again, but something about Sir Caleb was always so charming. I decided to let him get away with it. “But it matters not how I feel. My father would see me wed to some cold and vile Prince for the good of the kingdom. He would never accept my union to a simple knight.”

“Erm right. One sec,” he said, as he pulled some peculiar tablet from his robes and examined it, as though he were reading from it. “But Your Grace, I’m the one who will make you happy. Your father must understand that.”

“Alas, my father cares only for the good of the kingdom, not the feelings of his own daughter.”

“Then damn your father and the kingdom.” Sir Caleb stopped and turned me to face him. “I only want to be with you. Run away with me.” 

“I cannot,” the words left my mouth before I could even think. Something felt strange about that. I thought I would have said yes to that. It was what I truly desired, yet I knew I had to say ‘no’, most bizarre. “Would that I could, good knight. But I have a duty to my people and my kingdom.”

He gave my hands a squeeze. “I understand, you have a responsibility. But at least accept this humble token of my . . . favor.” He fished in his pocket and removed a small pendant. It was gorgeous, two swooping bands of gold, clutching a round emerald of the deepest green between them. He held it up so that the morning light caught the stone and sent twisting, shimmering reflections dancing across my vision.

Instantly, I felt my eyes drawn to it. “It’s gorgeous, but I cannot accept such a lavish gift.”

“Are you sure?” He asked, as he began gently swinging it from side to side. “But it’s so captivating. Have you seen the way it refracts the light? Or the way it swings gently back and forth?” 

What did he think he was playing at? Of course, as a Princess, I’d seen all manner of exquisite gems and jewelry. And yet. There was something unusual about this necklace. The make seemed fine enough, but that couldn’t explain the dance of the light or the dazzling sparkles that spun within it. 

“Are you alright, Your Grace? You seem distracted,” his voice said, though I could barely see his lips move beyond the swaying crystal. 

“What?” I said, still watching the crystal swing back and forth. “Yes, I’m quite alright, just . . . a little . . .”

“Distracted?” He offered. “That’s ok. You don’t need to think so much right now. I’m here to help you. You can just watch the pendant swing back and forth.”

“Just watch . . . back and forth,” I repeated vacantly, absorbed in the pendant’s steady rhythm. “No that’s not . . . I need to be . . . .dignified . . . and proper . . . and,”

“And focused,” he interrupted. 

“Yes, focused.” Back and forth. 

“And relaxed,” the smooth, guiding voice continued. 

“Yes, relaxed,” I couldn’t help but repeat. But no, I was forgetting something. I could almost feel it at the edge of my awareness. “No . . . I need to . . .”

“You need to focus and relax.”

“Neeeed to focus and relax.” Back and forth. Was that what I was forgetting? It was getting so hard to think. 

“You need to obey.” 

“Need to obey.” As soon as the words left my lips, all the tension melted out of my body. I love to obey. That must have been what I was forgetting. I knew my eyes were swinging from side to side, following the arcs of the necklace, even as my eyelids grew heavy. That didn’t matter. I didn’t need to think about it. I just needed to obey. 

“That’s a good girl, Annie. I mean, Annette-Marie. No thoughts, just my words. Repeat after me. Obedience is pleasure.”

No thoughts. “Obedience is pleasure.” 

“The crystal makes you obey.”

“Mmm,” I purred, feeling a surge of warmth from somewhere deep. “Makes me obey.” 

“That’s very good. This crystal is enchanted with a powerful spell. Anyone who wears it will be completely under the power of the one who gave it to them.”

“Powerful spell.” Back and forth. No thoughts.

“That’s very good. I knew you’d understand,” he said, as the swaying pendant came to a stop. Still, I stared, transfixed. “Now, put this on.”

I took the pendant, sleepy fingers fumbling with the clasp. Ultimately Caleb had to help me fasten it behind my back. 

“Now coming back to awareness as the Princess under my spell.” He raised his hand and snapped in front of my eyes. 

I blinked a few quick blinks, as the gardens came back into focus. “Pardon, my mind seems to have wandered,” I said, trying to remember what we were discussing. 

“You were just admiring my little gift.” he said with a devious smirk. 

“Gift? Oh yes, of course. The necklace. Wait, the necklace! You’ve enchanted me!” I cried out as my hands shot to the clasp. 

“Hands at your sides.”

Instantly my hands fell limp. “I do not understand.”

“Kiss me with as much passion as you can.”

No sooner had the words left his lips, my own mouth dove upon them. My tongue rushed to meet his, all my fear and confusion temporarily drowned in a sea of desire. “Yes, sir,” I whispered as we parted. I knew not why I said it, but it simply felt right. Then as the command passed, my pulse began to quicken anew. “I know not how your charm compels me so.”

“It’s simple. You were so concerned with the responsibilities of your station, you were going to deny yourself what you truly desired.”

“Oh?” I scoffed. “And what is it I truly desire?” 

“To be mine, of course.”

“Preposterous.” My cheeks flushed. The audacity. I was royalty. I harbored no secret yearning to be owned by some man, no matter how charming or commanding he was. 

“Tell me what you really want.”

“I want to be yours, Sir,” my voice said, before I gasped in shock. “You merely tricked me into saying that. It proves nothing.”

“Then maybe this would prove it. Kneel.”

“Yes, Sir.” All the strength abandoned my legs and I collapsed to my knees, right in the middle of the dusty path. My heart threatened to leap from my chest. First my hands betrayed me and now my legs.  “I can’t. . . I can’t stand.”

“That’s because I haven’t given you permission.”

“I am nobility,” I spat. “I do not require your permission to stand or do anything.”

“And yet you’re still kneeling. Bow.”

Instantly, I bent at the waste, lowering myself to the dirt. “You must be quite proud of yourself,” I mumbled. 

“A little, yeah.” Even with my eyes cast upon the ground, I could feel his arrogant grin. 

“Well don’t be. You may have ensorceled my body, but my spirit will not submit to you,” I said, doing my best to project a confidence I did not feel. Despite my words, I could feel a dull thrumming of arousal emanating from deep within me. 

“Wanna bet?” 

“I shan’t be partaking in any of your petty gambling.”

“Submit yourself to me completely.”

“Yes, Sir. I submit.” The air rushed from my lungs with a mighty sigh of relief. I relaxed down into my prostrating position, all the stress of my situation forgotten. Why had I been worried? Why struggle? There was no point resisting. I was under his control. I just needed to obey. I love to obey. As those words drifted through my mind, I felt the boundary between myself and the Princess begin to blur. Without her stubborn defiance, she was just well . . . me. 

“Now look up at me, Annette-Marie.”

I obeyed, drinking in the vision of the knight who had so thoroughly bested me. Still I felt a strange tugging in the back of my mind. This was different from what I’d imagined.

“Excellent, now is there anything you wouldn’t do for me?”

“No, Sir. I submit completely.”

“Good girl. Now I think it’s time I claim my prize. Is there anywhere around here that’s a little more private?”

I felt the flush spreading down my cheeks into my chest. Honestly, he didn’t need cheap magic charms, when his praise affected me so profoundly. “Yes, Sir. If you will permit me to stand, I’ll lead you there.”

“Please do,” he said, offering me a hand. We kept holding hands as we walked on through the garden. I knew not if I walked through a garden or a dream. Everything felt . . . floaty, hot, so hot, too hot. Even with my dimmed awareness, something felt off. I was under Caleb’s spell, his completely to do with as he pleased. Just thinking about that was making me wet. But it was still wrong. This wasn’t the fantasy I had asked for, what we had talked about. It had been more innocent, more simple. Still, it was hot. So, did I mind? It was hard to think. 

After a dazed stroll, we finally reached the end of the winding path, a modest stone pavilion, square with arched openings on two sides and a small bench within. The King would meet dignitaries there, or maybe students would read there. Maybe both? It was hard to tell. “This is it.” 

“Still a little open, but it doesn’t look like anyone’s around,” Caleb said. “Are you ok if we play in there?” 

“I submit completely," I answered simply. It was all I could think. This wasn’t what we talked about. Well except for that. 

“Good girl,” he said, as he took my hand and led me inside. I followed, lost in the revelry of his praise. Caleb took a seat on the stone bench and pulled me to stand before him. “I haven’t been able to take my eyes off your breasts all morning.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Rub them in my face.”

“Yes, Sir.” Without a thought or hesitation, I threw a leg over him, straddling Caleb and bending forward. I gently cradled his head and nuzzled it between my breasts. Normally, I would have been too self-conscious to do that, too worried I was too small. But instead, I just swayed gently back and forth. Back and Forth. No thoughts. I didn’t ask for this. Fuck, I was so close to drifting back into that wonderful dream, but that one stubborn thought just wouldn’t shut up. 

“Such a good girl,” he mumbled, lips brushing against my sensitive flesh. “You turn me on so much, Annie.”

“Thank you, Sir,” I sighed, the fresh wave of praise temporarily drowning my doubts once more. 

“I can’t wait any longer, Annie. I want to take you right here. Take off your panties and give them to me.

“Of course, Sir,” my lips said. Princesses don’t give their panties away, the little voice in my head added. But I still did, reaching up under my dusty skirt and pulling down the soft cotton. Caleb unzipped his pants, letting his member spring free, and then put on a condom. Dutifully, I handed my underwear over to Caleb, who didn’t seem to mind the wet spot at all. He just set them beside him on the bench. 

“Straddle me,” he ordered. 

I obeyed. I love to obey. His hardness teased at my entrance as my hips rubbed back and forth. Back and forth. I love to obey. I thought today was for my fantasy. I still couldn’t shake that voice. Every time the waves of pleasure had almost pulled me under, it just kept dragging me back to the surface. I felt like a buoy being tossed around on tides of surrender and winds of indignation. 

“Annie, I can already feel how wet you are. I need to feel you. Put me inside.”

“Yes, Sir.” I lowered myself down. I was wet enough that he slid in easily. It felt perfect, filling my body, my mind. Even from the bottom, he pushed up, thrusting deeper inside me. My back arched and I moaned as the waves of ecstasy washed over me. My hips fell into rhythm, greedily pulling him deeper, rocking back and forth. Back and forth. No thoughts, only pleasure. Maybe I hadn’t asked for this, but Caleb felt so good inside me. That was all I needed to think about right now. A contended smile drifted over my face as I settled back into the depths of trance. Finally the waves had defeated the wind, and I could just sink down, just obey, just feel pleasure. 

“Oh, fuck, Annie. You’re perfect.”

“Perfect for you, Sir. Only for you.” 

“God, Annie, I really mean it. I want to be your Master forever.”

“My . . . what?” I froze. The word hit me like a bucket of cold water. We DEFINITELY didn’t talk about that. The voice in the back of my head came crashing back with avengeance. Masters had slaves. My mind filled with images of collars and chains, all my original fears about hypnosis. Sure, I liked obeying Caleb. His voice made me tremble. His touch made me feel things I never knew you could feel. But that didn’t make me his slave. Right? I wanted to be a Princess, not a slave. The voice in my head had gone from nagging to dragging me up. Even through the waves of pleasure and surrender, I was heading towards the surface.

I was waking up.

“Annie, what’s that face for? Did I do something wrong?” 

I shook my head and then shook it again, trying to come back to reality and finding my head swimming in thoughts of knights and castles, and bowing and worshiping cock and fuck. “I don’t. . .know . . . I . . .”

“What do you two think you’re doing?” a shocked voice snapped from the archway.

A cold chill shooting through me, I turned to see who had spoken. The morning sun cloaked the figure in shadow. My eyes took a moment to adjust before I recognized her. “Dr. Santos?” I asked as the image of my psychology professor finally came into focus. “How did you get past the palace guards?”