3 comments/ 7400 views/ 13 favorites The Lesbian, the Bitch, and the Bathrobe By: walkerlong /*** I first posted this to Literotica back in 2007. I was never really happy with it and eventually took it down to have another go. What you see here, then, is my second attempt. The basic plot is the same, but there are a few more twists and turns along the way. There's also much more emotion and character development than the first version. I found out a lot about these characters that I didn't know the first time. It makes for a much more fun story - at least, I think so. If nothing else, it's about twice as long. You should know that this is a work of fiction (duh) and all characters are over the age of 18 at the time of the events depicted. Though we're all adults here, certain elements may offend some readers: * explicit sex * sex with non-human, fantasy creatures * girl-on-girl sex * hokey dialog ***/ *********** Chapter One *********** in which we meet Lily and follow her through a closet door Lily wanted to hide. She wanted to go to her room, close the door, and hide from the world. She clutched her textbooks tighter and wished she were there already. A group of students had gathered at a sidewalk cafe on her way. They seemed so at ease, laughing and enjoying themselves. They were comfortable with each other, comfortable with their place in the world. Lily envied them. She wished she could fit in so naturally. One of them, a young man with playful green eyes and a dimple in one cheek, looked up at Lily as she passed. She quickly looked down and hurried on her way. The sound of their laughter followed her down the sidewalk. She could not shake off the feeling that they were laughing at her. At least her uncle's house was close to campus. She jumped off the curb and scurried across the busy street just as the signal was changing. Soon she would be alone in her room, safe from the possibility of making a fool of herself. Not that she wanted to be alone. She definitely did not. Lily wanted company very much. Intimate company. Intimate male company. To be perfectly frank, Lily wanted to get laid. She wanted it so badly she could hardly stand it. But when that cute guy from chemistry class had finally - finally! - started a conversation she choked. "I don't really like jazz music," she had told him. In her panic at finding a boy actually talking to her she couldn't think of how to respond. She should have said something flirty and cute. Instead she grabbed the truth like a drowning swimmer grabbing a life preserver. Stupid! What was wrong with her? She gritted her teeth in frustration as she skipped up the front stairs of her uncle's house. She nodded to the butler and breezed through the front door. As usual, Lily thought of plenty of things to say when it was too late. "I'd love to learn more about jazz," she could have told him. Or, "I think any music is lovely when it's performed live." Even "I guarantee oral sex on the first date," would have been better. Instead she had sent that delicious young man running for the hills, looking confused and a little hurt. She had hoped college would be different! This was her chance to get away, to be her own person. She was finally away from home - away from her parent's watchful eyes. Well, not completely: Father had insisted that she live with Uncle Frank until graduation. Of course, that wasn't all bad. Her cousin, Megan, attended the same college. So far Megan was her only friend. The way things were going, it was going to stay that way. College wasn't different at all, Lily thought glumly. Just a different mansion in a different city. But she had to admit this mansion was very different. Uncle Frank's house was ancient. Actually, the house was brand new, but it had been built from the recycled parts of ancient buildings. Uncle Frank had traveled the world buying up historic landmarks and then tearing them down. He would have them transported back home and reassembled piece-by-piece. The main level, for example, was made from stones from a monastery in the north of France. Or possibly the south. When those ran out they used pieces of a Turkish bath house and a Buddhist shrine that was more than 500 years old. Was that right? Maybe it was only 200 years. Lily had been given a tour when she moved in but hadn't taken notes. She did remember clearly that her room and rest of the south end of the third floor had been built from a Celtic temple. The heavy oak door on her room had a lovely carving of an apple tree. It closed with a dull thud that was, to Lily, the sound of the pushy, noisy world going away. The room was supremely quiet. This was due, she supposed, to the absurdly thick stone walls. It gave a feeling of complete privacy, and Lily had decided to enjoy it. There were emergency supplies hidden in her closet and it was time to use them. She walked to the window to draw the shade. Her view of the street below was typical, except for a giant bronze Buddha loaded on a flatbed truck. Her uncle's latest purchase, no doubt. Uncle Frank devoted as much time and energy spending money as her father did earning it. Men in overalls stood around arguing - trying to decide how to get the monstrous thing off the truck probably. She sighed. Did Nigel miss her as much as she missed him? No, probably not. She finally figured out the truth about her "adoring" Nigel just before leaving for college. Finding him in the kitchen with his pants around his ankles and the scullery maid on her knees polishing something other than pots and pans had enlightened Lily. He was and always would be a bastard, Lily reminded herself. But God he was so handsome! When he looked at her with those deep, blue eyes Lily's knees turned to absolute jelly. And the need he had awakened in her hadn't gone away. Knowing what an ass he really was didn't make her desire him any less. He had come to her twice since the incident in the pantry. She had promised herself that she wouldn't give in, but ... when he smiled his crooked smile she couldn't turn him away. Both times, she recalled with embarrassment, Lily had spread her legs for that son-of-a-bitch. Maybe, Lily admitted, she was better off here - far away from Nigel and his smooth tongue. And there were other boys here. Her school was full of them. The boy from chemistry class was particularly appealing. Lily could easily imagine that his tall, lean body would satisfy her burning need. Yes indeed. If she could ever manage to actually talk to him. She had been very sheltered, the only child of wealthy and overprotective parents. There had been nannies when her parent's watchful eyes were not enough. There were personal tutors so she had never needed to go to school. In fact, Lily had rarely left her home. Everything was provided on the estate - including her first romantic relationship. Nigel, the womanizing limo driver, lived in the East Wing with the other servants. There had been many opportunities during their two-year relationship to arrange secret rendezvous in the main house or on the grounds. Secret and very, very satisfying rendezvous. She licked her lips and moaned quietly at the memory. Nigel had known how to make her feel so good. But, the next best thing was hidden in the closet. Lily set her glasses on the nightstand and pulled her bulky sweater over her head. With a quick pull at the zipper her long skirt glided to the floor. She gingerly stepped out of the clothes pooled around her ankles. With one thumb hooked in the waistband of her panties she sauntered across the room. She imagined Chemistry Boy lying on the bed watching her - his eyes glued to her every movement. In her imagination he looked at her with lust and desire. Not with judgment or confusion. His cock was pointing straight to the ceiling, urging her to throw herself onto him, impale her pussy on his throbbing rod. But she was going to take her time and enjoy this. With a coy smile she unhooked her bra and shrugged out of one strap and then the other. The bra dropped to the floor and was replaced by Lily's hands, her fingers splayed wide but still unable to cover her considerable assets. Her breasts were unusually large, she knew. Embarrassingly large. They seemed out of place on her petite frame, like she had borrowed the tits of a much larger woman who would come and reclaim them at any moment. She jiggled them a bit and squeezed them together. They were fun to play with, she had to admit. So soft and squishy. And sensitive! She lifted one to her mouth. She could just reach her lips to suckle on the inflamed nipple, sending chills down her back. Nigel had always loved when she did that. Slowly her hands slid down her small, rounded stomach and into the front of her panties. Lily let out a quiet moan as her probing finger reached her hot, wet middle. That is what she needed! Lily began to move her hips in a slow, seductive rhythm. She closed her eyes and moved her body to the beat. She pulled her hand to her mouth and slowly sucked away her juices. She quickly pulled off her panties and flopped down on the bed. Again, a finger found her sensitive clitoris. "Oh, God. Right there," she urged. It was time. She hopped off the bed and dashed to the closet door. Like the door from the hallway, it was heavy, oaken, and ancient. It was fully four feet wide and probably nine feet tall but swung easily on carefully balanced hinges. What she saw on the other side put all thoughts of sex out of Lily's mind. Not that she saw anything particularly remarkable. It was fairly mundane in any other context. It was just not at all what she expected to see at that moment. What she expected was to see her clothes hanging neatly in two rows, her shoes lined up on little shelves in the back, and in one corner a suitcase with a vibrator hidden inside. What she actually saw was a lush, green meadow climbing a gentle hillside and disappearing into a dense wood. Wildflowers bloomed in splotches of red, yellow, and purple. As she watched, Lily saw butterflies flit from one flower to another. The grass swayed as a gust of wind rushed by. When the warm wind gently caressed her cheek, she realized that anyone walking through the meadow who happened to glance her way would see her standing in the doorway bare-ass naked with her finger in her snatch. She quickly slammed the door. "What the heck?" Lily glanced around the room, in her surprise thinking that she must have chosen the wrong doorway. But there were only three doors in the room: the closet, the bath, and the hallway. There had never been a door leading outside. Besides, if there were it would not open onto a grassy meadow but into a busy downtown street (three stories in the air). "What the HECK?" She scurried to the bath and grabbed her fuzzy pink bathrobe. Once decently covered, Lily again went to the closet door. It opened just as before but now she saw her clothes, her shoes, and her suitcases. It was a closet once more. Lily went inside. She looked all around the door jamb. She shoved on the solid stone walls. It all seemed normal. She went back and tried opening and closing the door three more times. She opened the door slowly, she opened it quickly. The closet was there each time. Lily decided to forget about the whole thing. She must have imagined the pretty, little clearing. Her eyes were playing tricks on her. At any rate, the closet door now very clearly led to the closet. She could get her vibrator and go back to what she was doing. It would take some effort to regain the mood, but it would be worth it. With a little grin, she threw off her bathrobe and grabbed the door handle once more. But this time the closet was gone. The grass, the butterflies, and the hillside were back. "Golly!" she exclaimed. What on Earth was going on? She dashed naked across the room and grabbed her glasses, but the view from her closet door was just as clear as ever. She stared wide-eyed through the doorway, but could see nothing suspicious. Other than the fact that it was in her closet, the meadow seemed perfectly ordinary. Down at her feet, the thick, velvety carpet of her bedroom ended in a perfectly straight line and gave way to pale, green grass. "Eek!" She was standing naked in an open doorway yet again. What would her parents say? The field seemed deserted, but that couldn't last long. Not in a city this size. She shoved the heavy door closed with a dull thud. There seemed to be a pattern, she realized. If she was naked, the meadow appeared. Otherwise the door opened to her closet. But that made no sense! How did the closet door know what she was wearing? It would explain, however, why she never noticed a door leading outdoors before. She just didn't go around in the buff that often. "Let's test this out," Lily announced to the empty room. She pulled on her cashmere bathrobe and yanked open the door. As usual, the closet was on the other side. When she tossed the robe aside and slipped the door open a crack, she saw a sliver of bright blue sky. So far her theory was holding up. She had no idea how or why, but the closet was a completely different place for naked people. Lily paced the room. She needed to make some sense out of this! She saw her discarded socks and sat down to pull one on. Then she went to the closet and slowly drew open the door. Sure enough, the closet was back. Dim and ordinary. "Picky, picky," Lily mumbled. Apparently a single sock was enough to stop the - what was it? a magic spell? - from working. Whatever it was, at least it was predictable. So she knew how to make the sunny meadow appear in her closet. That was something. But where was it? Did the doorway lead to a park that she hadn't seen before? Had Uncle Frank paid to have a field of wildflowers installed on the roof of the house? There was only one way to find out. Lily stood on one foot like an exotic bird and tugged her single sock off. Then she slowly opened the closet, hiding her naked self behind the thick, wooden door. As she expected, the rolling hillside covered with grass was on the other side. Her trusty pink bathrobe was close at hand, so she grabbed it and covered up. Then she headed through the door. She expected to feel prickly grass under her feet and the warm sun on her face, but instead she ended up in her own closet. In a blink the meadow was gone! She looked around and saw the racks of her clothes. She turned and looked at the door she had just walked through. There was her bedroom looking just as she left it, with her clothes in a pile in front of the bed. She walked back to her room and then turned again. There was the meadow! She could see it as plain as day, but apparently couldn't actually go there. Was it like watching an image on a movie screen? Something she could look at but not touch? No, she had distinctly felt a warm breeze come through the door. The meadow was real enough; something was just stopping her from going through the doorway. Just like how most of the time she opened the door and the field of grass wasn't even there - unless she was naked. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," she grumbled. This doorway seemed to have a real thing for nudity. Lily looked carefully up and down the grassy hillside as far as she could see. There wasn't a soul in sight, so, once again, she slipped out of her bathrobe. Lily took a deep breath and then walked through the closet door as naked as the day she was born. She stepped into the grassy meadow just as easily as stepping into the next room. The sun was warm on her skin and the grass was soft and cool under her feet. Somewhere a bird was singing. The smell of wildflowers hung on the gentle breeze. It was beautiful here, she decided. Wherever here was. Up the hill she could see the same dark forest of trees that she had seen from her bedroom. Now that she was standing in the meadow, however, she could see the line of trees continued in both directions, surrounding the little clearing. On the right side, a tall cliff thrust up out of the ground. It was at least 100 feet straight up. Only a few brave plants clung to the side of the sheer stone wall. Lily turned to look at the doorway itself. On this side there was nothing but a wooden door in an archway made of heavy, sand-colored stone. It looked like the same stone from her bedroom walls back home, but much older and weathered. Dull green moss grew along the left side like a stain. She walked around the door and looked back down the hill. She saw the forest go on for what seemed like miles down into a valley. There was a brilliant blue river glittering at the base of the hill. On the other side of the river the hills climbed upward again, growing into an immense mountain range that extended into the vanishing distance. "Golly," Lily mumbled to the amazing view. "I don't think we're in Boston anymore." But where the heck was she? And what happened to the city? Lily turned and scrambled back through the doorway. Her bedroom looked just as she had left it. The light was harsh and artificial and the air was stuffy and dry. Nothing had changed. She rushed to the window and peeked around the curtain. The city was still there. People rushed about. Cars slowly made their way through the traffic. The men unloading the giant Buddha statue were still there arguing. To all appearances none of them had any idea a spectacular mountain view was just a few hundred yards away. Lily walked slowly back to the closet door. The grassy meadow was still there on the other side. Clearly a single step through that doorway covered a lot more distance than just a single step. Where did this doorway lead? Was it magic? There was only one way to find out - go exploring. Lily was not going to go walking around a strange place bare ass naked, however. She grabbed her bathrobe and tossed it through the doorway. The magic door seemed to have no problem with clothing per se, because the pink robe landed safely in the tall grass on the other side. It was just wearing clothing that it didn't like. Lily followed her robe through the doorway and into the meadow. Once she was somewhat covered, she walked up the hill to investigate the thick woods above. At the crest of the hill there was a narrow path that hadn't been visible from below. It made for comfortable walking, so - wearing nothing but her pink cashmere bathrobe - Lily followed the path into the woods. Without the path the woods would have been impenetrable. The space in between the massive trunks of the large trees was filled with a tangle of fallen branches. A few thin saplings struggled to catch a bit of the scattered sunlight that trickled down from above. Everything was covered with thick, green moss like a carpet. "Hello, miss," Lily jumped at the sound of a quiet voice. She whirled around and saw a lanky, fine featured man standing in the path she had just passed. He was naked except for a leather satchel slung across his shoulder and a bizarre loincloth that seemed to be made from leaves. His hair was a wild, golden-brown halo around his narrow, delicate face. Lily had a moment of embarrassment to be discovered walking around outside with nothing on but a pink bathrobe. Then she realized the cluster of leaves hanging around the man's middle barely covered his junk. He was hardly one to criticize her outfit. "Oh, did I startle you? I must sincerely apologize and properly introduce myself: I am Mr. Cumnus (my friends call me Cumnus and I do hope we shall be friends). I am a wood elf from the Cairie Clan." "Uhh. Hello," Cumnus' formal demeanor surprised Lily even more than his extremely informal attire. "I'm Lily." "Lily! What a lovely name for a lovely girl. It is simply splendid to have you in my woods." Cumnus turned to gesture back the way she had come. As he did Lily saw that his ears were particularly long and rose to a sharp point near the top of his head. Was this guy some kind of freak? "I have just been out gathering squallum root. As our paths seem to have converged for the time being, perhaps I might accompany you until such time as we go our separate ways?" The Lesbian, the Bitch, and the Bathrobe "Sure," Lily mumbled. "Ok." Cumnus fell in beside her and the two set off down the trail. Lily attempted to discreetly watch the strange but gorgeous man out of the corner of her eye. Except for the messed up ears and bizarre fashion sense, he was totally her type. His face was angelic, narrow and delicate in a way that was almost feminine. His body was unmistakably masculine, with long, lean cords of muscle under smooth, tawny skin. And there was plenty of skin - the leafy loincloth left little to the imagination. Lily was reminded of the unsatisfied need that still burned within her. Maybe she shouldn't judge him for the outfit. He might be on his way to a costume party. Besides, she needed a man and here was a beautiful one right in front of her! Say something, she urged herself. Something clever and flirty. Don't screw this up! But she couldn't think of anything. "So, my dear Lily," Cumnus launched into conversation eagerly, much to Lily's relief, "what enterprise brings you to my woods? You have business in Grafenberg?" "No, not exactly. I don't really know what I'm doing here. You see, there was this door ..." Lily trailed off, fearing that her story would sound preposterous. She needn't have worried, because Cumnus' eyes immediately opened wide with recognition. "The Lone Door?! A great door," he held his arms full apart, "standing alone in a meadow? You came through this door?" Lily nodded and smiled in a way that she hoped was inviting. "Fascinating. Where does the door lead? No one has succeeded in opening the Lone Door for centuries. The rumor is told that even the White Queen attempted and failed to breach its magic." "Well, I was in Boston until just now." She swept her long, dark hair over one shoulder and let her robe fall open a bit wider, displaying her ample cleavage. "Hmm. Bustorn, you say? Is that along the Shimmer River?" Lily never got a chance to answer, because at that moment the pair crested a small hill and a voice from the other side called out. It was deep and gravelly, like a two-pack-a-day smoker. Lily didn't see where it came from, but it must have been close because she could hear what it said as plain as day. "Aye, have ye the root, ye damned dawdling elf!" "Yes, yes, Harry," Cumnus said conversationally and rummaged through his leather satchel. "I have found the necessary plant." Lily looked around, but could see no one else on the path. Beside the rough trail, in a little clearing cut into the dense woods, she could see a stone statue and a little stone bench. Other than that, there appeared to be nothing but trees all around. "Well, what are ye waiting fer," the voice growled. "This should remedy the situation nicely," Cumnus fished something out of his satchel and bent over to look beneath the bench. Lily followed suit and saw, wedged under the curving stone seat of the bench, a large brown animal with two great, protruding incisors. Its head was tucked under the bench and its furry brown body extended into the dark woods beyond. "Is that a beaver?" Lily asked in surprise as Cumnus reached under the bench to put something into the animal's mouth. A talking beaver! Lily began to suspect that Cumnus was not on his way to a costume party at all. "Of course I'm a beaver!" the furry creature grunted while chewing on whatever it was Cumnus had given it. "An who the hell might ye be?" "Harry, may I introduce the Lady Lily of Bustorn," Cumnus bowed formally. "My dear Lily, please meet Harry the innkeeper of Grafenburg." "He's a ... beaver," Lily said doubtfully. "Damn ye, elf, it tastes like the sweat of a troll's balls!" the beaver growled. "This better work, by the goddess, or I'll have a chunk of thee to chew on." "Yes, and quite an ill tempered beaver," Cumnus said amiably. The elf bent over to yell under the bench. "I assure you, my good man, it will succeed without fail. Do attempt to pull your head free, now, Harry!" "Squallum root, you see," Cumnus turned to Lily to explain, "is possessed of many magical properties. In particular it renders the body quite malleable when chewed. Most advantageous when one has wedged one's head under a stone bench." "Oh, no!" Lily exclaimed. "Is the poor beaver stuck under there?" "Aye, look who just caught up," the beaver mumbled. "Not for much longer," Cumnus exclaimed. "Our friend will be disengaged momentarily." Indeed, just two seconds later the beaver slipped free, rolling head over heels and coming to rest with a smack against the mossy trunk of a great tree. Cumnus hopped over the bench and knelt down beside the furry creature. "Are you injured, Harry?" "Blast, I feel dizzy," the beaver mumbled. "Like I've just drunk a tankard of ale." The beaver looked up and Lily saw the creature's neck had been stretched by nearly a foot and its head had been squashed almost flat. It looked like a cartoon character that had been run down by a steam roller. Lily tried to stifle a giggle but wasn't very successful. The beaver glared with his squashed eyes and Lily clapped a hand over her mouth. "You are quite a sight, old friend!" Cumnus chuckled. "But at least you are loose from the bench!" "Aye, I am that," the beaver said slowly. Cumnus helped him to his feet. He was large, for a beaver. Lily guessed if his neck hadn't been stretched out of shape he would have been about up to her waist. As it was, he was considerably taller than that, although wobbly. "Let me be damned should I ever ask a wood elf fer help again." "How did you come to be under that bench anyhow?" Cumnus asked. "Mushrooms," the beaver growled. "Marantz mushrooms. Me boneheaded wife sent me to gather the damn things fer some goddess-be-damned new recipe." "And you were looking for them under a bench?" "Well they grow in the darkest spots, don't they?" "Indeed," Cumnus chuckled. "I never knew gathering mushrooms could be so dangerous!" "Oh, well!" the beaver exclaimed. "Easy for thee! Eighteen hands tall and great long arms as well. Not so easy when yer blasted arms reach not even to the top of yer cursed head!" The little creature waved his stubby, little forelegs around to demonstrate. As the two argued, Lily had a look around the clearing. The little bench - the one that had trapped the unfortunate beaver - sat at the foot of a life-size statue depicting a beautiful girl in the arms of a huge creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull. The statue was eerie, not just because of the strange monster either. It seemed almost alive somehow. As Lily stepped closer she saw why. The detail was amazing! The tiniest of features were depicted in the stone. The girl - who Lily realized had long, pointed ears much like Mr. Cumnus - even had individual eyelashes that had somehow been carved one-at-a-time. Her mouth - open wide as if she were screaming at the top of her lungs - included distinct teeth chiseled into the stone. How was that even possible? The artist must have had incredibly tiny hands. Then Lily noticed something else about the statue. The monster wasn't just holding the girl. The bull-headed creature's enormous cock was buried between her legs. Like the rest of the statue, every detail of the penetration was intricately rendered in the stone. The veins of his thick member, the engorged lips of her pussy stretched to accommodate it, and even the tiny, little button of her clitoris peeking out from its hood. My God, Lily thought! Who would carve a statue of a woman being raped by a fearful monster? Taking a step back, however, Lily realized that was not the case. The girl's legs were wrapped around the waist of the powerful creature. Her arms were straining - Lily could see the cords of muscle stretched tight - but she was not pushing away, she was pulling closer. Her face was contorted with passion, not with fear. The girl in the statue was fucking this monster and liking it! Lily felt a familiar warm feeling in her mid section. The pointy-eared girl was surprisingly hot! She wasn't worried about what other people thought of her. She wasn't paralyzed with anxiety over what her friends and family might say. She wanted to fuck a bull-headed monster so she just did it. Lily wished she could throw caution to the wind like that. Wished she could be that ... that ... wanton. She would prefer a lover with a human head, of course. It was the girl's attitude that she envied, not her taste in men. Although this monster's equipment looked like it would certainly get the job done. Lily felt the fire in her middle burn even brighter. She wished she were back in her room with her toy. "My sister, Eithne," Cumnus said. It took Lily a moment to register that he was talking to her. "Who?" she stammered. "The girl," Cumnus gestured to the statue, "not the minotaur." "Oh, I see," Lily replied. His sister must have posed for the statue. She could see some resemblance, now that he called her attention to it. They both had the same fine, delicate features and wild, untamed hair. And of course the pointy ears. "She's very beautiful." "Yes, she was," Cumnus said sadly. "I miss her every day." "Oh, I'm so sorry," Lily mumbled, feeling guilty. She had been about ready to masturbate to the poor man's dead sister! How fucked up can you get? The sculpture must be a memorial or something. It was a strange way to remember the dead, Lily thought, but didn't want to seem judgmental. "She knew the fate she tempted!" the beaver barked. "Wild, impetuous girl. Out of control, by all account. 'Twas no fault but her own." "Ah, Harry. Always something to say against anyone," Cumnus said with more amusement than anger. "Say, my good man, spit out that squallum before you become an ill-tempered puddle on the forest floor!" "Damn magical herbs." The beaver turned his wobbly head to the side and spat a gob of something brown and gooey onto the ground. "How long shall this blasted spell be upon me?" "You may expect to be back to your old self by sunset, Harry." The beaver shook his head and mumbled something angrily to himself. Then he picked up a small, canvas bag and shuffled off down the trail without so much as a goodbye. Soon he disappeared around a curve in the path with his wide, flat tail dragging along the ground behind. *********** Chapter Two *********** in which Lily decides to go back home and then decides to stay "An excellent fellow, that Harry," Cumnus said with an earnest grin. "Yeah, right," Lily nodded. She thought the beaver had seemed like an asshole, but had to admit she hadn't seen him on his best day, what with being stuck under the bench and all. At least now he was gone. Lily was alone with Cumnus. Alone with a man - an elf or whatever, but definitely a male one. She turned her attention back to the statue. What would - how did her name go again? - Eithne? What would Eithne do in this situation? Lily was desperate to get Cumnus to notice her. Not just to notice her, but notice her as a woman. Someone like Eithne would probably just toss her clothes aside and demand to be fucked there on the spot. To Lily, even the thought made her mouth go dry. After all, what if he wasn't interested? Cumnus probably spent all night screwing little girl elves who were just as gorgeous as he was. What would he want with Lily? To throw herself at a man like that, literally naked, would make her completely vulnerable. Rejection at that point would destroy her! Besides, if she was as beautiful as the girl in the sculpture obviously had been, she wouldn't have to worry about being rejected. "I think I'll head back home now," Lily said quietly. She could always go back and find her sex toy. It wouldn't reject her. And it wouldn't cheat on her behind her back. "I am pleased to hear that," Cumnus exclaimed. "I can therefore continue to accompany you, for my own abode lies in the same direction. With your permission, of course!" "Ok, sure," Lily smiled. Maybe he was interested in her after all! Lily loosened her bathrobe just a bit more, exposing the fullness of her breasts almost to the dark areola. It made her feel a little rebellious, a little ... a little wanton. Not as wanton as climbing onto a raging bull-monster and riding its giant cock, but it was a long way from her baggy sweater and floor-length skirt. "So your village is along the Shimmer River?" Cumnus asked. He walked along beside Lily. "No, I don't think so," Lily shook her head. "There is a Charles River." "I say, I am not familiar with that tributary. Is your village in Callistia?" "No, it's in Massachusetts," Lily shrugged. She was getting tired of all the talk about geography. "I've never even heard of Callistia." "Magic doors," Cumnus remarked with a shake of his head, "are most capricious artifacts. This fair land, my dear, is Callistia. From the Santorum Sea on the east to the Hard Mountains on the west." "Oh." Great, Lily thought. More geography. "For decades our borders have been sealed by a powerful spell cast by the White Queen - the ruler of Callistia. Your magic door is ostensibly beyond the power of the queen to inhibit. You, my dear, are quite possibly the only outsider to enter Callistia in ..." Cumnus stopped dead in his tracks. "Yes?" "Outsider," Cumnus mumbled to himself. "The spell may not apply." "Okay?" "You're not a citizen of Callistia," Cumnus exclaimed with a grin. "The spell doesn't apply to you!" "What spell? The sealing the border spell?" "No, no. Something much worse," Cumnus suddenly looked at Lily very intensely. "Tell me, Miss Lily: are you able to engage in intercourse and other sexual recreation without being transmogrified into stone?" "Well, yeah. What is this about?" "Have I mentioned, my dear," Cumnus stepped closer to Lily. She could feel the heat of him, "how beautiful you are?" "No," Lily squeaked. "Haven't mentioned that." "A terrible omission," Cumnus purred. "For you are the most beautiful creature to grace my woods in recorded memory. The minstrels shall sing of your unsurpassed beauty for generations to come." "Gosh, thanks." "I see the hand of destiny at work here," the elf caressed her cheek with one long-fingered hand. "You and I were meant to be here together in this moment, don't you think?" Lily nodded. She tilted her head as Cumnus leaned in to her. Lily's lips parted as the elf slowly kissed her. Yes! Oh, God, finally. Lily felt gentle hands slide into her robe, stroking her back, pulling the robe away from her heavy, young breasts. Cumnus began to nibble at her neck and down to her collar bone. Lily let out little squeals of pleasure as her bare nipples rubbed against the elf's smooth, hard chest. "Shall we retire to my domicile, my dear?" Cumnus suggested in a husky voice. "Ok," Lily agreed. The elf grabbed Lily by the hand and rushed off down the trail. She did her best to keep up and to keep her fuzzy robe from falling off altogether. Nonetheless, anyone who had been in the woods that day would have gotten quite an eyeful as the robe flapped and drooped as she ran along. Lily didn't worry much, however. She was enjoying the feeling of being reckless and wanton for once in her life. Besides, the woods were empty. After a few hundred yards, Cumnus turned off the beaten path and into the trees. He seemed to be leading her toward a solid wall of branches and underbrush, but a narrow path appeared. It was almost as though the trees and bushes moved aside as the elf approached. At any rate, he didn't slow until they had reached the trunk of a massive tree. At the base, the tree was as big around as a small house. Lily could not imagine how tall it might be. Cumnus grabbed a thick green rope that hung beside the immense trunk. The line reached twenty or thirty feet into the air before disappearing into the dense canopy of leaves. The elf tugged at the heavy rope, playing out enough slack for it to reach the ground. "Place your feet here upon the cross member," Cumnus directed Lily to a sturdy, wooden bar that had been tied to the end of the rope. Lily tentatively stood on the rough wood. Cumnus did the same, putting his feet beside hers. "Hold on to me," he instructed. The rope slowly began to retract into the tree. First the slack was taken up, then the bar on which Lily and Cumnus were standing was lifted into the air. Lily squealed and grabbed the elf around the middle. Her face pressed against the sleek strength of his chest. She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed in the scent of him. He smelled of sandalwood and green leaves. Lily could feel the acceleration as the rope reeled in faster and faster. The wind rushed past her face as they flew up into the tree, but Lily kept her eyes shut tight until the rope came to a smooth stop. She looked around and saw tree branches in all directions. She seemed to be surrounded by brilliant green leaves. Just to her right, there was a small platform of rough hewn boards. "Fear not, dearest Lily. Reach out with one lovely foot and place it upon the balcony," Cumnus urged her. The platform was one big step away. Lily could just reach it if she let go with one hand. Consciously willing herself not to look down, Lily stepped over. The platform felt sturdy, so she shifted her weight to that foot and let go of Cumnus all together. Once both feet were solidly on the balcony, she scurried away from the edge. Only then did she dare to look down. "Golly," she breathed. The ground was at least 100 feet below. Dozens of branches crisscrossed in every direction. Many of them as large as entire trees back home. "Well done, Lily!" Cumnus enthused. He led her toward a narrow staircase that spiraled around the trunk of the tree, still enormous even at this height. The handrail was a dark, polished wood that undulated like a serpent. The treads seemed to grow right out of the rough bark. "Shall we ascend?" Lily followed the elf up the twisting stairway. It was much too narrow to walk side-by-side. It was almost too narrow to walk up at all. They circled the giant trunk at least twice, climbing steadily higher. Finally, they approached the bottom of a small structure attached to the central core and braced by two huge branches. Cumnus pushed open a small hatch made from woven sticks and twigs. Lily followed him up and found herself climbing through the floor of a little house in the trees. The room was in the shape of a jelly bean with a ceiling at least two stories high. At either end, balconies looked over the main room. On one side, pots and pans hung around a fireplace of lava rock. Lily guessed this was the kitchen. There didn't appear to be a straight line in the entire structure. The walls were gently curved. The windows were rounded. It was almost like the house had grown there rather than being built. "I must offer an apology," Cumnus said while fussing with a set of heavy, round shutters on one of the windows. "I did not anticipate receiving company. As it happens I am ill prepared to offer proper hospitality. I have been known to brew a palatable jasmine tea on occasion. Would you care for a cup?" "That sounds lovely, thank you," Lily said automatically. She didn't have the least interest in drinking tea. She wanted to tell the tall, handsome elf to forget the pleasantries and just throw her on the floor and fuck her brains out. That was not, however, the sort of thing Lily was able to actually say. Not out loud. No, when she opened her mouth her well-trained manners took over. Her mother would be proud, Lily thought ruefully. She resigned herself to waiting while her gallant lover brewed tea. "Excellent," Cumnus said eagerly. He pushed open the shutters and dazzling sunlight filled the small cabin. "It will be but a trifling matter to ignite a small fire." The Lesbian, the Bitch, and the Bathrobe "Oh, my gosh," Lily exclaimed. They were finally high enough to look out over the surrounding forest and the view was amazing! She could see for what seemed like hundreds of miles. All around the canopy of trees stretched out like an emerald green ocean. To the left was the jagged, snow capped mountain range that she had seen when she first came through the closet door. To the right, past the edge of the forest she could see the glassy waters of a small lake. The puffy white clouds and clear blue sky reflected back from the still water like a mirror. A little village clung to the far bank, surrounding an immense castle with a dozen turrets and towers and spires. Past that were miles and miles of undulating hills ending in a glimmering blue streak on the horizon that must have been a sea or an ocean. "It's beautiful." "It is a magnificent sight," Cumnus agreed. "But not half as beautiful as you, lovely Lily" "Aww," Lily felt the blush rise to her cheeks and put a hand over her smile. "I'm ... I'm not. Not really." "It is true, my dear!" Cumnus exclaimed. The elf took Lily's hands in his own and gazed at her intently. "I would write an epic poem extolling your beauty! Stand here but a moment that I might retrieve my lyre!" He dropped her hands and glided to the other side of the room where he opened a large and ancient looking chest and rummaged around inside. "That is so sweet!" Lily cooed. No man had ever tried so hard to impress her! She wasn't sure she deserved such devotion, but it was a delicious feeling. It made her feel special. Desirable. Even Nigel, her smooth talking former lover, had never made her feel that way. He had manipulated her into desiring him - looking back the manipulation was obvious - but had never shown any particular desire for her. Not at all like Cumnus! The elf was tall and devastatingly handsome, but still he treated Lily like she was the most alluring girl in the world. He thought she was beautiful! He was going to write a poem for her. Who does that? Nobody does that! All to impress one silly girl, who had been racking her brain trying to impress him. Maybe, Lily thought, she was more in control of this situation than she realized. "That would be nice and all," Lily said coyly. She was feeling a bit bolder. "But isn't there something else you'd like to do?" "Certainly," Cumnus dropped a shiny golden harp back into the trunk and rushed to her side. "What do you desire? Just name it and it shall be done!" "Oh, I don't know," Lily licked her lips. Did that look sexy? She hoped so. Time to kick it up a notch! Better do it quick, before you chicken out, she told herself. With one shrug she slipped her shoulders out of her bathrobe and let it fall down to her waist. The soft, pink fabric dropped away and her breasts were fully exposed. Cumnus stared with eyes wide. Was he disgusted by her pale skin? Was he looking at her soft tummy? At her pudgy arms? Lily didn't know. But he definitely wasn't looking away. She slipped her hands out of the sleeves and the robe dropped to the floor in a heap of pink fuzz. There she was, not wearing a thing besides her glasses, in a strange place with a strange man. She should have felt vulnerable, defenseless. Instead she felt great! She felt sexy and powerful. She was as turned on as she had ever been in her life. She felt wanton. "Maybe you could think of something?" she suggested with a little smile. "By the goddess," Cumnus panted and swept her up in his arms. His lips found hers and she opened up to his seeking tongue. She loved the feeling of him gliding over her lips, exploring her willing mouth. The elf lowered her to a pile of furs on the floor. The silky soft fur felt luxurious against her bare skin. Cumnus slid on top of her and Lily spread her legs to accommodate. With a flick of his finger his leafy garment fell away, leaving nothing between his hard, probing arousal and her precious opening. It felt thrilling to just lie back and let it happen - to let him do whatever he wanted with her. "Confound it," Cumnus exclaimed and backed away. "I've forgotten to start the tea!" "No, no," Lily whimpered. She wasn't willing to let him do that. Not now. She reached down and gently grasped his manhood. It felt vibrant and alive and so very hard. She wanted it inside of her immediately. "I'm really not thirsty." "Indeed," Cumnus grinned and kissed her again. He leaned into her and Lily guided his cock where she needed it to go. "Oh, thank God!" she moaned as he slipped slowly into her. The empty spot within her was filled. It was only temporary, but it felt fantastic! Lily raised her knees to allow him to penetrate deeper into her flesh. Cumnus reared back and then thrust into her again. The impact sent a jolt through her body. She tossed her head back and moaned. "Yes! Yes, harder!" The elf thrust into her once more, but then his body went rigid. She could feel the hard cock within her twitch and spasm. Was he cumming in her? Was he finishing? Cumnus collapsed on top of her, resting on her pillowy breasts and breathing heavily. Lily picked up her head and looked around in confusion. That was all? That was all! She had climbed 200 feet into this tree for that? It wasn't fair. She was just getting started! Lily dropped her head back on the furs and made a little whiny noise. "I must sincerely apologize," Cumnus breathed. "I have not done this in ... many years and I became a bit ... a bit overexcited." "Oh, I see." "But have no fear," the elf sat up and asserted proudly. "I shall not leave a beautiful lady in want!" "What? What do you ... Ohhh!" Lily exclaimed. The elf crouched down between her legs and began lapping at the sensitive flesh of her heated pussy with his tongue. She had never been stimulated that way before and wasn't sure how to respond. It did feel nice, there was no doubt of that, but it just seemed wrong. Why would a man do that? Lily didn't think this sort of thing was for her. She reached down to push the elf's head away from her crotch, but just as her fingers entwined in his wild, bushy hair the tongue slipping through her slit hit upon the hard button of her clitoris. It was like tossing gasoline on a roaring fire! Her body was ablaze with pleasure. The hand that she had meant to push Cumnus away instead slipped behind his head and pulled him toward her. His tongue moved side to side, up and down, around and around. He went faster and faster until she wasn't even sure what he was doing. She only knew that every single nerve ending in her clit seemed to be activated. Maybe she liked this sort of thing after all. "Yes! Oh, gosh, yes!" she moaned as her body convulsed. Then all the tension flowed out of her like air from a popped balloon. Her limbs went limp and she lay quivering on the deep pile of fur. "That was ... wow ... that was great." But Cumnus was not finished. He left her clit alone - which Lily was thankful for, her jangled nerves were just too sensitive - but he continued to lick her slit up and down. He inserted his tongue into her, caressing the walls of her opening. It wasn't driving her to orgasm, but it wasn't letting her arousal dissipate either. What was he up to? "Your body responds magnificently," Cumnus purred. He crawled up from her crotch and looked her in the eyes. "Thanks," she shrugged. She could smell the sweet musk of her own juices on him. What did she taste like, she wondered. Was it nasty to lick her out like that? Without thinking, she thrust her hands into Cumnus' thick hair and pulled him to her. She kissed him deeply, exploring his mouth with her tongue. She could taste the spice of him - almost like cinnamon - mixed with an earthy, salty flavor. The flavor of her pussy. Lily pulled away and licked her lips. She tasted pretty good. "There is a benefit," Cumnus told her softly. He had slipped between her legs again. She felt something hard at the entry to her hot slit. "To my long period of enforced celibacy." "What's that?" Lily breathed. Her lower lips were slowly parted by a thick, hard invader. Yes! She was filled again. Lily moaned and arched her back. Cumnus backed away and then slammed into her again. This time he didn't stop, however, and pounded into her again and again. "Quick recovery," he grunted. "That is ... mmmm ... a great ... ohhhh ... benefit," Lily cried out as the elf pistoned in and out of her. It was exactly what she needed! His tongue had driven her wild, but it was nothing like being pinned underneath his sweaty body and feeling his manhood fill her again and again. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his long, lean form. Lily had never really cooled down after her first orgasm. It didn't take long for Cumnus' vigorous thrusting to get her right back to the edge. She cried out as a second climax blasted through her body. She groped at Cumnus, holding him tight as the spasms racked her. Then she exhaled and went limp. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," Lily mumbled. Her body was more thoroughly satisfied than she could ever remember being. "No, thank you, Miss Lily," Cumnus countered. He began to gently rock back and forth above her. He was still inside her! He was still hard! Wait! Her mind screamed out. She wasn't ready to go again! Her body needed more time to recover. Her body, however, had other ideas because it eagerly engulfed the offered cock. Apparently, her pussy was as ready as ever. Lily decided not to try and argue with her pussy, especially since the rest of her body was spent by the force of her last orgasm. Cumnus, on the other hand, had energy to spare and was putting it to use. He ground against her faster and faster with cute little grunting sounds. Their bodies slapped together in a delirious rhythm. Finally, Cumnus again went rigid and she could feel him pulsate within her. Lily closed her eyes and reveled in the glow of two terrific orgasms. She didn't know how that crazy, magic door ended up in her closet, but she was deliriously glad it had. "Wait, what are you ... ahhhh!" Lily's eyes flew open as Cumnus dived into her crotch once again. His nimble tongue danced circles over her engorged clitoris. Her body was so sensitive! Every touch seemed multiplied by a thousand. She writhed on the fur blanket like she were being electrocuted - even lifting her plump, little ass several inches up off the ground - but Cumnus kept his face glued to her slit. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," she moaned. What was he doing to her? Her arousal was so intense it was almost painful. She clamped her thick thighs around Cumnus' head and squeezed her ample breasts with both hands. Her nipples were hard as little pebbles but she hardly felt anything over the steady pounding of sensation coming from her pussy. It was too much! She needed to stop or she was going to faint dead away. "Ok! That's enough. I can't take any more," Lily panted. The elf didn't even slow his assault on her clitoris, however. Lily looked down and noticed the elf's pointed ears were thoroughly smashed between her legs. She spread her thighs and then tried to get his attention again. "Enough. No more, please." "As you wish, Miss Lily," Cumnus backed away and dropped down on the hardwood floor, staring up at the ceiling. He was panting and out of breath, but managed nonetheless to have more to say. "You are an exquisite woman, Miss Lily of Bustorn." Lily spread out on the floor and felt her arousal slowly seep away, leaving a feeling of deep satisfaction. Goosebumps broke out on her arms and legs as the sweat of her exertion evaporated. She grabbed at the edge of the fur blanket and rolled onto her side, wrapping herself in a warm, though somewhat sticky, cocoon. She was asleep in minutes, with a little smile on her lips. ************* Chapter Three ************* in which Lily returns home in a panic and we are introduced to Megan She woke feeling well rested but confused, as she always did after napping during the day. Her first thought was a momentary regret at the magnificent dream she was waking up from. Then she realized she was naked and wrapped in a thick, fur blanket. It wasn't a dream! She sat up and looked around. It was the same tree house, but the light was different. The blazing sunlight was gone, replaced by a warm, orange glow. She saw Cumnus in the corner, tending a fire in the area she had taken to be his kitchen. With some regret she noticed he had replaced his leafy loincloth. She turned to the window, but instead of the awe-inspiring view she saw blackness and a blanket of sky dotted with twinkling stars. Stars! "Oh, my gosh!" Lily exclaimed. "I need to get back. They'll call the cops!" "Ah, Miss Lily, you have awakened!" Cumnus stood. "The tea is on. Would you ... " "No time for tea," she cut him off and scrambled to her feet. "I have to get out of here." "Oh, surely you don't mean to depart already. There are so many more things we could do!" "Really?" Lily stopped in her tracks. More? She had already done things she'd never even thought of before. And it was amazing! There was more? She blinked and shook her head. Focus, she told herself. "No, I am in so much trouble already." "Wait, my dear ..." Cumnus protested, but Lily had already grabbed her bathrobe and run out the door. She hurried down the spiral stair and, a bit belatedly, had a frightening thought. What if the crazy, magic door wouldn't open again? How would she get back home? Then, on the heels of that: how the hell was she going to get out of this tree? "Please, Lily," Cumnus called to her as she scurried down the stairs. "It is not the slightest imposition for you to remain here through the night!" "Thanks, but I can't stay," Lily called back with a frantic edge on her voice. "My family is going to freak!" "Your wish is of course my command." Cumnus caught up with her on the small platform at the base of the stairs. He was holding a little oil lantern that cast a circle of flickering light around them. "At least allow me to accompany you through the dark forest." "Ok," Lily agreed. She wasn't sure how she was going to get out of the tree without his help anyway. And she didn't have a light. There weren't streetlights in the enchanted forest, apparently. Down below there was nothing but black. The ground could be ten feet down or a hundred for all she could see. Cumnus went to the edge of the balcony and grabbed the dangling rope they had used to ascend the tree earlier. He pulled it closer so Lily could step onto the bar at the end of the line. When Lily was solidly on board, he swung her gently out into the dark void. "It is not too late to change your mind," he told her. "No," Lily insisted with her knuckles white on the thick rope. "I have to get back." Cumnus only nodded and stepped out onto the bar with her. He gripped the rope with one hand and his little lantern with the other. They slowly descended through the darkness. Now and then a branch, thick with dark green leaves, would pass through the weak light and then vanish. "It has been utterly marvelous having you," Cumnus told her. Then quickly added, "As a guest." "Yeah, it was marvelous, I guess," she sighed. But it wasn't worth the trouble she was going to get into. Mind blowing sex with a gorgeous man in a beautiful forest was great and all, but ... wait ... what was she thinking? Of course it was worth it! She grinned a little to herself at the memory. God, it was worth it. "Truly, truly marvelous," Lily added with more enthusiasm. She stood on her toes and kissed the tall elf on his supple lips. On the ground, Cumnus led her through the thick underbrush to the path. Lily was glad for his lantern. Down beneath the layers of branches and leaves, the stars and moon were only a memory. It was black as a mineshaft. Lily ran down the path as quickly as her feet would carry her. Cumnus followed close behind, lighting the way with his lantern. Soon she saw a vague light ahead. It was the clearing - the one with the magic doorway - lit up by the cool light of the moon. She was almost there! Lily ran faster and burst into the clearing. Thankfully, the door was still there and it was still open. She could see a sliver of light slicing across the dim meadow. Cumnus caught up with her at the lonely doorway. "Miss Lily, please accept this memento of our time together." The elf pulled a blurry pink shape from his satchel. As he stepped closer, she could see by the light of the doorway that it was an enormous flower. "Awww," Lily cooed. No boy had ever given her flowers before! And it was so beautiful! It had the shape of a lily but with ruffled petals like an orchid. It was also much larger than any lily she had ever seen - almost the size of her whole head - and a brilliant intense pink color that faded to white at the stem. "It's beautiful!" "It is the leirion flower. The loveliest bloom in all of Callistia," Cumnus proclaimed. "For the loveliest maiden in this or any world." "Ohhh!" Lily gushed. "That is so sweet!" She pushed her little, round nose into the center of the velvety, soft petals. The flower smelled delicious! It reminded her of the ylang-ylang soap her mother used. It was somehow exotic and comforting at the same time. "I had picked this flower to use in a potion," Cumnus told her, "but I believe it belongs with you, Miss Lily." "Oh, golly," she breathed. "It's magic? Like the square root?" "It does have certain magical properties," Cumnus launched into a lecture. "But it is quite different from the squallum root. One can put a question to the flower and then shake the yellow powder of the styles and stigma onto a tabletop to receive an answer. My own intention was to use the essential oils to counteract the ..." he trailed off. Lily had shed her bathrobe in preparation for going back through the magic door. He gazed at her bare skin like he was seeing it for the first time. "... counteract the ... the ... what was I saying?" "I don't know," Lily shrugged. The tall elf swept her into his arms and planted his lips on hers. She relished the feeling of the hard, lean muscles of his chest pressed against her soft, yielding breasts. His tongue swept over her lips, sending tingles through her body. She felt the heat building in her middle - if she didn't leave soon she wasn't going to be able to. "Okay, okay," she broke away. "I really have to go home now." "Of course," Cumnus bowed. "As you wish. Will our paths ever cross again?" "I... I..." Lily sputtered. Her parents were going to be furious at her for breaking her curfew. They might even make her drop out of college and come back home. "I hope so." She quickly backed into her room and closed the heavy door behind her. How bad was it? The whole house would be in a terrible uproar. They had almost certainly called the police and demanded a search and rescue team. "Darn, darn, darn," she cursed under her breath as she pulled on her discarded panties. If she was lucky, they hadn't called her father, yet. She grabbed her cell phone to see just how badly she had screwed up. Five o'clock! She had been out all night! They had probably mobilized the National Guard. How was she ever going to live this down? Her parents would lock her in her room and throw away the key! Actually, she thought to herself, that wouldn't be so bad. As long as she had her magical closet, she would be more than happy to never leave her room again. At least, not by the front door. Lily smiled to herself. Oh, who was she kidding! They were going to make her drop out of school. Father always said associating with the common rabble would be a bad influence on her. She would have to go back home, hundreds of miles from Uncle Frank's eccentric mansion and the mysterious doorway. The Lesbian, the Bitch, and the Bathrobe "Wait a minute," she mumbled. There was bright sunlight streaming around the edges of her curtains. She zipped up her skirt and went to the window. Sure enough, the sun was shining warm and bright. It didn't look at all like five in the morning. She looked again at her phone. It clearly said five o'clock. No, wait. It said five o'clock PM. Had she been gone all night and the whole next day day? No, that didn't make sense because it had been dark on the other side. It was definitely night over there. On the other hand, it was obviously not night over here. Maybe her phone was broken somehow and showing the wrong time. "Eek," Lily jumped at the sound of a knock on her bedroom door. She walked to the doorway trying to think of a good excuse for missing curfew. Maybe she could say she had been kidnapped by a gang of terrorists. No, her mother would decide Boston (and possibly the whole state of Massachusetts) was too dangerous for her baby girl and make her come home. Lily pulled open the door. On the other side was a tall young woman - several inches taller than Lily - with sharp, angular features and short, spiky blond hair. "Oh, Meg," Lily squeaked. "I'm so glad to see you." "Yeah, I thought you might want to talk," Lily's cousin replied. She was wearing baggy sweatpants and a sleeveless t-shirt, but somehow managed to look hot anyway. Megan had the sort of figure that looked good in everything. Not like Lily, who felt like a fire hydrant in her shapeless sweater - short, thick, and ordinary. "Barnes said when you came home you were practically in tears. Did something happen in class?" "When I came home yesterday?" "No, when you came in today. Just now." "Today? But I have been... err..." Lily sputtered. "When did I come home exactly?" "Just now," Megan repeated. "Half an hour ago, anyway. Are you feeling ok?" "I don't know," Lily sat on her bed with a heavy sigh. It was only a half an hour since she had come home. Had she dreamt about the whole magic closet door? The forest? The mountains? Cumnus? All a figment of her imagination? It had seemed so real. It only made sense that it was a dream, though. Who ever heard of a magic closet door that whisked you away to far off places? It was ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as the idea of a handsome, vigorous man who wanted nothing more than to have fantastic sex with her. It was all too good to be true. She didn't know whether to be relieved or worried. Relieved that she wasn't in trouble. Or worried that she had lost the ability to distinguish dream from reality. "Hey," Megan sat on the bed next to her and put an arm around Lily's narrow shoulders. "It's ok. What happened?" "Well," Lily sighed. Did she want to tell Megan about the crazy dream? No, that would be too embarrassing, even to tell her best friend. She tried to think back - the incident after class seemed like such a long time ago now. "I made a fool of myself. This boy from my class, I think he was going to ask me out, but I messed it up. Now he'll probably never talk to me again." "Never?" Megan chuckled. "Did you tell him his breath stunk or something?" "No!" Lily smiled in spite of herself. "I said I don't really like jazz music." "Well, good for you," Megan replied. "Who needs that tedious shit anyway?" "Meg, that's not the point!" Lily elbowed her cousin playfully. "I always say the wrong thing! How am I ever going to meet anybody?" "Oh, Lil. You are beautiful and sweet and funny. Those guys are just insecure assholes who expect girls to be captivated by every inane thing they say. You need somebody who can appreciate how special you are." "Thanks," Lily said with a shy smile. Megan had always been so supportive. Lily didn't know what she would do without her. "I'm really not at all beautiful, though." "Don't be stupid. Of course you are." "No," Lily argued. She tried to be firm, but ruined it with a little giggle. "I mean it! I'm pasty white..." "You have pretty skin," Megan put in. "... and I'm short..." "You're petite," Megan interrupted again. "It's cute." "...and chubby..." "You're curvy." "It's the same thing, Meg!" "No, listen, it's completely different. Chubby girls like to say they're 'curvy,'" Megan said with her fingers held up on either side of her head like quotation marks, "to make themselves feel better, but they're just fat and everybody knows it." "Meg!" "It's true!" Megan went on. "But you have a great body. You have a tiny little waist and those great big, amazing ... well ... you have a great figure. It's just nobody can tell because you wear ... this kind of thing." "My clothes are tasteful," Lily pouted. She understood that her wardrobe wasn't exactly flattering, but being provocative just wasn't in her nature. Except in the tree house, she remembered wistfully. "Yeah, for an overweight grandmother," Megan rolled her eyes. "Listen, Dad's new wife has a whole closet full of really sexy evening gowns. Let's go try some on while she's at that art gallery thing. It'll make you feel better!" "Since when do you care about evening gowns?" Lily countered. Megan had a terrific body, but she was not a girly girl. The most feminine thing she owned was a pair of running shoes with pink stripes. "This isn't for me, it's for you," Megan insisted. "Come on, it'll be fun." "No, I think I'll just..." Lily trailed off. She had happened to glance around the room and something on the table by the window caught her eye. A huge, pink flower. It had the shape of a lily but the ruffled petals of an orchid. She must have set it down there when she was checking her phone. Now the flower was there on the table, very much real. It wasn't a dream! Somehow all the hours she had spent with Cumnus in his world had only amounted to thirty minutes in her world. It was magic, after all. Anything was possible. It was even possible that she truly was as beautiful as Megan kept saying. Cumnus certainly hadn't been complaining. "Okay, Meg. Let's try on some of those dresses." ************ Chapter Four ************ in which dresses are worn and the flower almost becomes useful The master suite was on the second floor. It had a private balcony overlooking the swimming pool, a private workout room with a treadmill and elliptical trainer, and a private bathroom with two showers and a hot tub. If there had been a kitchen it could have been a whole house all on its own. There was a dressing room for Uncle Frank on the north side and a dressing room for his latest wife on the south end. "Are you sure it's okay with your stepmom for us to be in here?" Lily asked nervously. "She's not my stepmom," Megan insisted. "She's just my dad's wife." "What's the difference?" "Well, she's barely ten years older than me for one thing," Megan shrugged. "And no, it's probably not okay with her. That's why we're doing this while she's not here." "Meg!" Lily whined. She didn't want to make anyone angry. "Maybe we should just get out of here." "We'll be fine," Megan said and pulled Lily by the hand. The dressing room was long and narrow, with a high vaulted ceiling supported by marble columns all along the length. Alcoves along both walls had been filled with racks and racks of clothes. Lily guessed the room had been a chapel or something in the old monastery. The rounded apse at the far end, where the altar must have been originally, was now lined with mirrors and glowed with soft light. Lily walked aimlessly along the racks of clothes. There were a lot of beautiful outfits here, but where could she even begin? Megan, on the other hand, went straight to a rack of sparkling dresses in the corner and grabbed a long, flowing gown in a vibrant, shimmering blue. "Oooo, that's pretty," Lily cooed. She scampered over to touch the sleek fabric. It was so glamorous! "You should try it on," Megan thrust the dress at her. "I don't know," Lily backed away. The blue dress was remarkably svelte. It would cling to her like a second skin, if she could even get it on. Not to mention how dangerously low the neckline seemed to be. "That's a little trashy, don't you think?" "It's Roberto Cavalli for crying out loud," Megan chided. "Come on. You'd look amazing in this." Lily shook her head and turned to poke through the rack. There must be something more reserved in here somewhere, she thought. Megan, however, wasn't giving up. "Come on, Lil," she waved the dress enticingly. "There's nobody here but me. Have a little fun for once." Megan had a point. It was just the two of them. Megan wasn't going to judge her. Even so, Lily didn't want to be the only one looking trashy. "Here," Lily grabbed a small garment that was absolutely coated in gold sequins. The label said Zuhair Murad. It would have been a dress on someone Lily's height, but for Megan it was more of a long shirt. She smiled a devious grin. Two could play at this game. "You put this on and I'll wear the Roberto Cavalli." Lily expected Megan to laugh, put away the two scandalous dresses, and find something more appropriate. Instead she said, "Deal," grabbed the sequined minidress, and thrust the long, blue gown into Lily's arms. Lily sighed. Her bluff had been called. Now she was committed to trying to fit into the thing. Megan disappeared into an alcove to the right, so Lily took her gown to the left. There was a little cove set in the wall where she could undress in relative privacy. She stripped to her bra and panties, then took the dress off the hook. It looked light and flowing, but it was surprisingly structured. The thing could practically stand up on its own. Lily unzipped the back and stepped into the dress. She pulled it up her legs, but hit a snag at her wide hips. She wiggled and tugged and wiggled some more and finally wedged her widest part into the dress. Then she slipped her arms through and tried to adjust the front to cover her chest. There just wasn't enough fabric. "This thing won't even cover my bra." Lily called out. "Don't wear a bra, silly," Megan yelled back. Lily slipped off the dress and unhooked her bra. She could practically hear her mother tsk tsk in disapproval. The cool, silky fabric did feel nice against her sensitive skin, though. She blew out all her breath and sucked in her stomach as much as she could, then reached behind and zipped up the dress as far as she could reach. The gown was cleverly designed to look like it was just hanging on her, but it was actually squeezing and lifting and thrusting her body all over. Unfortunately, Lily required somewhat more squeezing than the dress was designed for. It was a little difficult to breathe. On the other hand, she required much less lifting and thrusting. Her generous bosoms were thrust almost entirely out of the dress. She tugged on the blue fabric to mostly cover her right breast, but then her left was uncovered. When she pulled the dress over her left breast, the right started popping out. She was just going to have to accept that this thing was not going to cover her up. Thank goodness she wasn't going out in public. When she had the dress on - at least, mostly on - she stepped out into the open. "Meg, I'm afraid I'm going to stretch this out and..." Lily froze. Megan was there wearing the tiny, sequined dress. It clung to her lean, athletic body like a coat of paint. She had grabbed a pair of stiletto heels from somewhere and, covered by not more than an inch or two of skirt, her muscular legs seemed about six feet long. "Holy cow, you look hot!" Lily exclaimed. "Holy shit, you look amazing!" Megan exclaimed at the same time. The girls laughed together and then walked to the bank of mirrors. Megan tottered a bit in her sky-high heels, so she put a hand on Lily's shoulder. In those shoes and with Lily in her bare feet, Megan positively towered over her cousin. For her part, Lily had to step carefully to avoid the hem of her gown, which dragged on the floor. The dress had far too little fabric on top and too much at the bottom. "See, I told you you'd look gorgeous," Megan gloated. "I do look pretty glamorous," Lily admitted as she watched her reflection. The dress hid what needed to be hidden and showed off what needed to be shown off. She wondered what Cumnus would say if he saw her in this outfit. She had managed to impress him wearing nothing but a fuzzy bathrobe. This dress would blow his mind! As long as she didn't faint from oxygen deprivation. "No shit," Megan agreed. "First time I saw that dress, I wanted to see you in it. I'm glad I got a chance to." "Yeah, you were right. This is fun," Lily smiled at her reflection. The two girls stood in silence for a while, turning this way and that, and looking at the mirror. "Do you," Megan began tentatively. She stopped and bit her lip. Lily had never known Megan to be tentative about anything, so it got her attention. "Do you really think I look hot?" "Golly, Meg. Of course I do. You're a knockout." "Thanks," Megan said quietly. She turned away from the mirror and looked at Lily - looked down at Lily. She took one of Lily's hands and held it to her chest. She started to say something but then closed her mouth. "What is it, Meg?" "Lily, tell me honestly," Megan took a deep breath before continuing. "Do you find me attractive?" "Of course!" Lily insisted. She was surprised by the question. Megan always seemed so self-assured. She worked out like crazy, but that was because she genuinely enjoyed it. She never seemed the least interested in trying to impress anyone. With her short, funky hair and casual, sporty style she was the absolute picture of "I don't care what you think; I'm going to be myself no matter what." Lily knew that Megan never really dated but thought it was because her cousin was too busy being awesome. She seemed to not need boys. Now all of a sudden she was so unsure of herself. Maybe Megan had the same doubts and insecurities that Lily struggled with. Was that possible? Megan might just be better at hiding it. "You're amazing," Lily encouraged. "Guys are all crazy about you. You should see them stare when you wear those yoga pants! You could get anybody you wanted." "Apparently not," Megan said dryly. "What? Do you ... Meg! Do you have a crush on somebody?" Lily exclaimed. That would be a revelation! Megan was always so aloof. She seemed immune to that sort of thing. "No, I ... No. I never said that," Megan sputtered. She was embarrassed! Tough-as-nails Megan was actually embarrassed. "You do! Who is he? Does he know how you feel?" "Never mind," Megan waved her off. She was acting casual, but her voice quavered. "It's old news. Forget I said anything." Lily was full of questions. Who was this mystery man? Why didn't they ever go out? Wasn't he into Megan too? Why the heck not? She was smart, funny, supportive, and she had a butt you could bounce a quarter off of. Who wouldn't be into that? Moreover why hadn't Megan told Lily about this guy? They were supposed to be best friends. Lily told her about every guy she so much as smiled at. Oh, no! Maybe that was the problem. Lily monopolized the conversation with her own problems so Megan had no chance to say anything about herself. Was she a lousy friend? Lily had no chance to ask any of these questions, because at that moment one of the maids appeared in the doorway. "Megan," she hissed. "The missus is home. They are parking the car now." "Oh, shit! Thanks, Holly. I owe you one." Megan had always had a good relationship with the staff. Lilly's parents and Uncle Frank ignored them unless they were giving orders. Lily invariably felt awkward and embarrassed, so she avoided the servants as much as possible. Megan, however, was just one of the gang. It came in handy at times like this. "Let's get out of here, Lil." "Wait, I have to change out of this!" "No time. Just gather your stuff and change down in your room. We'll sneak the dresses back here later," Megan insisted. She gestured to the racks of clothes all around them. "She'll never miss two dresses out of all these." Lily tucked her skirt and sweater under one arm and hiked up the hem of her dress with both hands. Megan kept the tiny gold dress on, but did kick off the stiletto heels. The two girls sprinted down the hallway and up the stairs. At the third floor they went opposite directions. Megan disappeared around the corner and Lily slipped quietly into her own room. The elaborate gown was almost as much trouble to take off as it was to put on. Lily wiggled out of it eventually and went to the closet to hang it up. She froze with her hand on the knob. What was she going to see on the other side? She was still wearing panties, so it wasn't like she had anything to worry about. Even so, it would never be just an ordinary closet door again. Once the gown was safely hung - and hidden - in her closet, Lily put her skirt and sweater back on. After wearing the gorgeous designer gown, her own clothes seemed even more ordinary than ever. They were dreary and boring, like they had faded in the twenty minutes since she had worn them last. Maybe Megan was right. It wouldn't hurt to try to add some variety to her wardrobe. She was on the way to go find Megan when there was a knock at her door. She expected to see her cousin, but it was the maid from downstairs - what was her name? Holly? "Miss, the master asked me to tell you that dinner will be in the formal dining room this evening." "Thanks," Lily told her. "Are we having guests?" "Yes, Miss. The senator and his wife." Lily just nodded. She considered asking which senator, but decided it didn't really matter. The maid turned to leave, but Lily stopped her. "Hey ... uhh ... Holly. Thanks for the warning earlier." "Not at all, miss," the maid replied in the stiff, formal tone that servants always used with her parents. Lily was in that same category, apparently. Not like Megan. Holly and Megan were great friends. In a flash of jealousy, she wondered if Megan had told Holly about her mystery boy. Then she felt instantly guilty for being so petty. When the maid scurried off down the hall, Lily went back to the closet. She was going to have to change for dinner now. Lily hated the formal dining room. It was enormous - the size of a gymnasium - with huge table that seated about fifty people. Everything in the room glittered, gleamed, or glowed from the crystal chandeliers high above to the polished wood floor below. But for all the decoration and pageantry, the room was cold and impersonal. It was like a movie set. In this particular performance, Lily played the part of the good daughter. She was to look like a fine young lady, have good manners, and speak only when spoken to. It was such a bother when all she wanted was to eat her dinner. Lily found a simple, blue dress with a high collar and long sleeves. It couldn't have been more different from the Roberto Cavalli also temporarily in her closet. Even the colors were miles apart. While both were nominally blue, the gown was a vibrant, electric blue and her dinner dress was a dark navy that was downright somber. In fact, this dress would not have looked out of place at a funeral. It served the purpose for that night, however, so Lily put it on and went to find an inconspicuous spot at the dining table. Uncle Frank and his wife, Yvette, were already there, sitting around the table, drinking wine, and chatting with a tall, lanky man with carefully molded hair. A short, chubby woman sat beside him. Lily was introduced to them as Senator something-or-other and his wife. She sat down and the conversation resumed as though she weren't there. Megan came in not long after. She was wearing a pair of sleek black tights and a baggy gray sweatshirt that had been chopped off at the bottom, revealing a narrow strip of her chiseled abs. Lily thought she looked adorable, but the rest of the dinner guests looked at her like she was a crazy woman. Nobody but Megan would show up for dinner with a senator looking like she had come straight from yoga class. Lily wished she could have that kind of courage. The Lesbian, the Bitch, and the Bathrobe "Nice of you to dress for dinner," Yvette said with a smile that was half snarl. Uncle Frank's latest wife was like a fancy lap dog - small and pretty but ready to bite the fingers of anyone who came near enough. She had been a fashion model before getting married. Her job now was quite similar. Instead of standing around and looking pretty at runway shows, now she stood around looking pretty at fund raisers and dinner parties. "Always a pleasure," Megan said in a sweet voice and curtseyed dramatically. "You should have worn the Zuhair Murad," Lily whispered when Megan took the seat beside her. That would have put Yvette in her place, especially since Megan looked hotter in the dress than she ever had. "Oh, I would love to see her face if I showed up in that," Megan said under her breath. Dinner was truly excellent. There was a lobster bisque, followed by a delectable pasta carbonara, and then a salmon filet that practically melted in your mouth. One good thing about formal dining nights - the cook pulled out all the stops. Lily and Megan mostly sat and ate in silence. It was what was expected of them. Lily focused on her food, but Megan, it turned out, was actually listening to the conversation. "We want to see a marriage amendment this session," Uncle Frank was saying. "Now Frank," the senator drawled, "I don't like the gays any more than you, but the political tides are turning on this issue. We may have to accept..." "We don't have to accept anything," Uncle Frank interrupted. "Right is right and wrong is wrong, no matter what the politics is. And these queers going around the country desecrating marriage is wrong. If you can't bring this bill, we will find somebody who can. And take our funding with us." "Frank, be reasonable," the senator protested. "I appreciate the support your family has given over the years, but it doesn't mean you can dictate policy." "That's exactly what it means," Frank insisted. Yvette nodded prettily beside him. "Why do you think we give you that money? It's not out of the goodness of our hearts, I can tell you that." "Why do you even care?" Megan called out. The whole room, including Lily, stared at her in surprise. "What difference does it make what people do in the privacy of their own home?" "I must apologize for my daughter," Uncle Frank said calmly. "I spoil my children and they have become a bit unruly." "Oh, not at all," the senator smiled. Then the conversation resumed as though nothing had happened. Lily was furious. They didn't answer Megan's questions. They didn't argue with her. They didn't even tell her to shut up and mind her own business. They just ignored her like she wasn't even there. Lily didn't personally have an opinion. She didn't follow politics and, in fact, wasn't even sure what they were talking about. Seeing Megan treated that way, though - treated like a silly child whose opinion was irrelevant - that enraged her. It was just rude! She sat at the table glaring at her uncle and the senator with his sculpted hair. Her anger built with each moment they blathered on with no regard for anyone else in the room. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and blurted out, "You should listen to Megan!" The room became quiet and everyone turned to stare at Lily. She felt her courage slipping away and finished with a quiet, "She has a good point." They ignored her too, of course, but Lily felt better for standing up for her friend, at least in a small way. Megan was looking at her with a little smirk and a look in her eyes that Lily couldn't identify. Was she impressed? Had Lily succeeded in impressing bad-ass Megan? In that case, the evening wasn't a total loss. Back in her room that night, Lily thought again of Megan's mystery love. Megan had insisted it was old news, but Lily had heard the emotion - desperation almost - in her voice. Megan was still hooked on this guy, whoever he was. Maybe, Lily thought, there was some way she could help. If she only knew who it was, she might be able to talk to him, convince him that Megan was a great catch. It should be easy because, honestly, Megan was a great catch. The very idea of talking to a guy usually made Lily break out in a cold sweat, but talking about Megan seemed much less intimidating. But how could she find out who it was? Megan had never even given a hint before. Then she saw the beautiful, pink flower on her night stand. It was a magic flower! What had Cumnus said? Something about asking it a question. Could the flower tell her who Megan was attracted to? Lily shrugged. It was worth a try. Stranger things had happened - most of them earlier that day. "Who does Megan - you know, my cousin, Megan - who does she have the hots for?" Lily spoke down into the flower cone like it was a microphone. Then she turned it upside down and flicked the stalks in the center. A fine, yellow dust drifted down onto her night stand. Cumnus said she would see an answer in the yellow powder. It just looked like a shapeless blob, however. Was she even doing this right? She flicked more powder onto the table. "Oh, my gosh!" she exclaimed. The dust was starting to look like a face! She could recognize a round nose and a vague accumulation that could be two eyes. She moved the flower down and flicked some more. Lips and a chin appeared. It was definitely a face! She moved the flower up and dropped more dust. The indistinct lines were filled in and gradually a pair of friendly eyes appeared. She tried flicking more powder - some hair and a jaw line would be nice - but the flower was used up. Even so, the part of the face she could see was definitely familiar somehow. She had a feeling she knew who this was, but couldn't put her finger on it. Oh, well. She would keep an eye out from now on. There was a knock at the door and Lily put the flower down to answer it. She was really popular today! "Hey, Lil," Megan said when she came in. She was wearing the same yoga pants and shredded sweatshirt from dinner. "I just want to say thanks. Thanks for backing me up at dinner." "Oh, of course, Meg, anytime," Lily smiled. "I don't think it helped, though." "That's true," Megan agreed. She walked around the room aimlessly, looking at the paintings on the wall. "We're both wasting our breath trying to talk sense into Senator Fascist and my dad. But I'm glad you were on my side. You especially. I am really glad you support marriage equality, because ..." "What do I support?" "You know, marriage equality," Megan repeated. "Equal rights for homosexual and transgendered people. What we were just talking about." "Oh, I don't know anything about that," Lily shrugged. "I just thought they were really rude to you. And you're my friend, so of course I'm on your side!" "Oh!" Megan said in surprise. "You weren't really paying attention, were you? Just jumped in after me anyway. That's really sweet. You are a loyal friend, Lil. Thanks." "Any time," Lily replied. "Actually I should be a better friend to you. Talk about myself less and listen more. I'm going to try to do better with that." "No, you're a great ... holy fuck! What is this?" Megan exclaimed. She had worked her way around the room to Lily's bed. She saw the image on the nightstand! What if she recognized the face? That would be hard to explain. "Oh, that's nothing." "Nothing? This is fucking amazing!" Megan crouched down to look closer at the picture in the dust. "I didn't know you were artistic. It's almost like a photograph. What is this? Pollen from this flower?" "Uhh, ... yeah ... yeah, that's pollen. Just plain, old flower pollen." "Wow," Megan moved her head from side to side. "How did you get all the little grains in the right places? I mean, it's just perfect. Not a speck out of place." "Just takes a lot of patience." "No shit," Megan agreed. "Fucking hours of patience." "Yeah," Lily said then faked a huge yawn. "Well, it's late. I should get to bed." "Sure. Me too," Megan moved toward the door. "Hey, if you ever make another one of those, let me know, okay? That's really something." "You bet," Lily said. "Goodnight, Meg." "Goodnight, Lil." Lily closed her bedroom door and rushed back to her bedside table. She swept the pollen image onto the floor and dusted off her hands. That was a close one! ************ Chapter Five ************ in which Lily returns to the magic door and learns about a curse Lily's classes the next day felt like they took forever. Her thoughts kept turning back to the magic door and the mysterious land on the other side. Especially the tall, gorgeous elf who lived there and who, for whatever strange reason, was hot for her in a big way. When she wasn't working herself into a lather thinking about that, she was checking out the guys in her classes, looking for one with the tiny nose, generous lips, and wide eyes she had seen on her nightstand. She barely heard her professors all day. Finally her last class was over and she was free to go. Lily rushed home, in an even greater hurry than the day before but in a much better mood. She was almost giddy with anticipation as she locked herself in her bedroom and began to undress. She tossed her dull, conservative outfit onto her bed and grabbed her trusty cashmere robe. Maybe Cumnus would show her the "more things" he mentioned the last time. She couldn't wait! Lily rushed to the closet door, but stopped cold with her fingers on the knob. What if Cumnus didn't want her anymore? He was so wonderfully attentive before, but that was when he was trying to get into her pants. Now that he got what he wanted, maybe he wouldn't be interested. Maybe he moved on to someone else. Someone prettier and skinnier. It would be like Nigel all over again! No, she told herself. It would never be like Nigel again. If Cumnus didn't want her, she wasn't going to waste her time waiting for him. You can't squeeze blood from a stone. Besides, there might be other elves in the woods. Lily stood up a little straighter and pulled open the heavy, wooden door. The pretty meadow was there just like the day before. The sky was blue and the sun was shining brightly on the waves of emerald green grass. No, not quite the same, Lily realized. There were a lot more wildflowers now. She stepped through into the tall grass and found herself surrounded by bunches of pink and purple and yellow flowers. The day before the flowers had been scattered throughout the field, but now they were all gathered around her door, in little clusters like bouquets. It was beautiful! Had Cumnus done this? For her? "Awww, how sweet," Lily cooed. She took a deep breath, savoring the clean, fresh air. She turned around and looked down the hillside at the valley spread out below. The glimmering river, the mountain peaks, the puffy white clouds. Not to mention the sweet perfume of dozens and dozens of wildflowers put here just for her! It was all so perfect and lovely. She kept turning and soon she was twirling on the hillside like Julie Andrews in a pink bathrobe. No, not quite perfect, Lily decided. The only thing missing was a nice, hard cock to fill her up. She had a pretty good idea, however, where to find one of those. She took off running through the grassy meadow toward the top of the hill. There she found the path through the dark woods where she had walked the day before. The deep shade of the forest trail was cool after her sprint through the sunlit field so she gathered her robe around herself and walked on. The path didn't have much for landmarks. One tree looked pretty much like the next to Lily. She wasn't at all sure where to turn off for Cumnus' tree. She wasn't eager to go clomping through the heavy underbrush in her bare feet, so she decided to stick to the trail. "Hello?" she called out when she estimated she had walked far enough. "Is anyone there?" The only response was a quiet sigh of wind through the trees. Maybe he was actually further down the trail. She decided to keep walking. At least when she got to the statue of the elf girl impaling herself on that minotaur she would know she had gone too far. Maybe she would even run into a minotaur of her own, she thought with a little grin. The idea was both scary and exciting at the same time. She hadn't walked more than a few yards when there was a quiet rustling in the brush at the side of the trail. Lily tensed and prepared to run. "Miss Lily!" a familiar voice called out. It was Cumnus! "It is you!" Lily rushed into his arms. Her lips found his and she let her body melt into his solid form. She felt her heat building already. She hoped he would take her right then and there on the forest floor, but he had things to say. "I have so missed the sight of your lovely face. I began to fear you were not coming back." "Gosh, it's just been since yesterday," Lily pouted. She had a life. Didn't he know that? Not a particularly interesting life, but there it was all the same. "On the contrary, Miss Lily," Cumnus argued. "I have not seen or heard from you in nearly a fortnight." "That's right!" Lily exclaimed. "Last time I was here for, like, hours but when I got home I had only been gone thirty minutes." "Ah, I see. It appears that your magic door manipulates the passage of time," Cumnus nodded. "That is remarkable! I wonder if it is a part of the original spell or perhaps a side effect." "I don't know," Lily shrugged, eager to change the subject. It wasn't that she didn't find magic an interesting topic - she did - it was just that she had other things on her mind at that particular moment. She drew closer to Cumnus and began planting gentle kisses on the chiseled muscle of his lean chest. "At any rate, it appears that I have much time to make up for," Cumnus said in a breathy voice. "And you have time to spare. Would you care to accompany me to my abode?" "Ok," Lily agreed. She followed the elf through the dense brush beside the trail and into the dark woods. They soon came upon his massive tree and the long, thick rope hanging beside it. The rapid ascent into the highest branches of the tree was much less frightening the second time. In short order she was stepping off onto the balcony and ascending the narrow spiral staircase with Cumnus close behind. In a flash of embarrassment, she realized she was probably exposing herself to Cumnus who was below and behind her on the stairs. She wasn't wearing panties and the short robe offered little coverage. Then it occurred to her that he had put his tongue up there - it was pretty silly to be embarrassed at this point. In fact, if he got a little peek it might get him going all the more. She decided to stop worrying about that. In fact, she even reached behind to flip up the back of her robe a couple times. Inside Cumnus' cozy tree house Lily saw the shutters had already been opened. She stepped to the window to take in the magnificent view. She could get used to a view like that. She could see for hundreds of miles and not a smokestack or power plant in sight. "Come, Miss Lily," Cumnus urged. "I have something to show you." "Ooo, what is it?" Lily squealed. She loved surprises. Lily followed Cumnus up a narrow, curving stairway behind the cooking area. It led to the balcony above, which seemed to be a sleeping area. A large, fluffy mat was piled with plush animal furs. Cumnus pushed open an even larger shutter and then, with a little smirk, dropped out the open window. "Oh no!" Lily screamed and rushed to the edge to look down. She expected to see the elf plummeting to his death, but instead he seemed to be floating in space just ten feet down. She looked closer and saw a faint glimmer surrounding him. It would fade in and out of focus like a reflection on a rippling pond. "Oh my gosh! How are you doing that?" "It's an ammackan. Merely a large net, suspended in the treetops," Cumnus explained. He was reclining comfortably with his legs stretched out and his hands behind his head. "They make an excellent spot to rest, relax, and while away a beautiful afternoon." "Why can't I see it?" "This particular ammackan is woven from the silk of the adumberate spider," Cumnus slapped his hand against something and Lily could see hazy reflections ripple outward. "The threads are very nearly - not quite, but nearly - invisible in bright sunlight." "Oh, my Gosh, how cool!" Lily laughed. "At one time there were dozens of these here and there. After your last visit I decided the forest could use a bit of whimsy! Won't you come and join me?" "Is it safe?" "Of course," Cumnus assured her. "Perfectly safe! Unless you fall off." Lily climbed out on the window sill. She knew the net was there to catch her. She could sometimes almost see it and she could clearly see Cumnus lying safely in the middle. She could also see beyond the net to a massive tree limb with dozens of jagged branches jutting out this way and that way to pummel the life out of anyone who fell. And she could see beyond that to another limb. And another below that one. The ground was somewhere down there, too. Way, way down there. Lily squeezed her eyes shut tight and stepped out into empty space. She dropped for a fraction of a second and landed square on her behind in the springy netting. No sooner had she come to rest however, when the lattice sprang back and lifted her up into the air once more. Her eyes flew open and she managed to get her feet under her and come to a rest in a standing position. "Oh well done, Miss Lily!" Cumnus cheered. Lily looked around. She could see the vague lines of the net she was standing on. It was like dust motes in a shaft of sunlight - there but not quite there. It was in the shape of a huge triangle the size of a small swimming pool. Two larger ropes extended out from branches on Cumnus' tree. They crossed over one another about fifty feet from the tree and disappeared into the distance - presumably fastened to other large trees nearby. The net was strung in the space between the two. It was a strange sensation, to hang in the air so far from any visible means of support. It was a little like flying. She was a bird, gliding across the treetops. It was exhilarating and dizzying all at the same time. "This is so cool!" she exclaimed. She tried a few small hops and bounded about on the gauzy net. It was easy to leap around on the elastic surface, but difficult to maintain balance with no frame of reference nearby. Lily tumbled and landed in a giggling heap. She decided to stay down. It was much safer that way. Besides, it was comfortable to lie back on the gentle curve of netting and look up at the brilliant blue sky. Cumnus' strange invention was like a cross between a gigantic hammock and a trampoline caught up a tree. Lily looked down at herself and noticed that her bathrobe had spilled open at some point in her tumbling. Her body was laid bare from her toes to her crotch to her breasts to the top of her head. She gasped and grabbed at the hem to pull the pink cashmere over her bare skin. She was stopped by a warm hand gently squeezing her left breast. "It is a balmy afternoon," Cumnus whispered. He had bounded over to lie beside her. "There is no need to cover up your exquisite beauty so promptly, is there?" Lily felt her nipple harden under the elf's attentions. She looked down and saw that he had removed his loincloth and had begun to harden as well. If he were naked, there was no reason she couldn't be naked also. "No, I suppose not," she breathed. Cumnus leaned in to kiss her. She parted her lips eagerly. Lily closed her eyes and breathed in the warm, woodsy smell of him. She spread her legs and pulled him to her. His hardness pressed against her most delicate parts, making her wiggle and squirm - not to get away but to pull him inside.