NOVEL WEB Chapter 4 – A Mental Misstep
“Queen Meredith, please be careful not to strain yourself.” Bellwyn was anxious as she escorted her liege towards her private study. “The last spell took a lot out of you, and I don’t want you tiring yourself out.”
The Queen brushed aside her concerns. “I’m fine, just a little dizzy. You don’t need to treat me like some fragile old lady.” However, as she spoke she began to stumble in place. Bellwyn was quick to reach out and steady her, grabbing her waist before she fell. She did make a pointed effort to avoid brushing her hand against the Queen’s rather large backside. Although she didn’t dare speak of it, Meredith’s curvy body and mature form was something Bellwyn did her best not to stare at.
A part of her wondered if Cherry would eventually inherit the same body shape as her mother. Bellwyn silently reprimanded herself. Now was the worst time to be fantasizing about her girlfriends future body. Meredith shook herself off as she returned to her own steady feet. “Thank you, Lady Bellwyn. I am fine though, just a bit shaky is all.” She dusted herself off and continued walking. “Although I will admit, ever since that Sorceress hit me with her spell I’ve been feeling a little bit… off.”
The memory was still fresh in Bellwyn’s mind. She could pretend to ignore having seen the Queen’s red face and hearing her lustful cries, but the image wouldn’t be leaving her mind anytime soon. She had to remain professional though, for the sake of her Queen and for her girlfriend. Bellwyn shuddered to imagine how Cherry would react if she heard Bellwyn was fantasizing about her mom. “We know Zenith was using her magic to mess with us,” the archer said in a reassuring tone. “Both of us have experienced what she’s capable of, so we’ll be extra careful from here on out.”
Meredith nodded. “I don’t remember much from after I got hit, but I do recall seeing you covered in something. Although at the time I was more focused on getting us to safety.” Bellwyn let out a sigh of relief. If the Queen had no memories of how she was affected, at least her own dignity would be saved.
The door to Meredith’s study was unlocked, which wasn’t unusual in and of itself, but the fact that there were no guards stationed along the entrance proved something was off. It was the final confirmation that the lack of staff aside from them was no coincidence. Bellwyn opened the door and went in first, her eyes scouring the room to scout for any signs of danger. Once she ensured there were no traps or ambushes lying in wait, she ushered the Queen inside.
Contrary to most scholars, Meredith kept her study in a tidy and organized fashion. Two of the walls were covered in tightly packed bookshelves, and there was a display case with various magical artifacts and gadgets. In the center of the room was a desk with a few stacks of papers; no doubt part of the Queen’s royal duties. However, they hadn’t come here to file paperwork.
“What exactly are we looking for in here?” Bellwyn knew she wasn’t going to be much help with the research phase, but she wanted to at least understand their objective.
“Anything that can give us some information about Zenith. A lead on her history, her motives, or her powers could go a long way. And it’s not like we have much to work with.” Meredith made her way to the first bookshelf, quickly scanning through the rough spines. “Thankfully we aren’t going in completely blind. She arrived here through the power of the Seraph’s Tear, and while there isn’t much in the classic history books, I have an inkling on where to start.” She grabbed a book from the shelf, blew the dust off the cover, and held it up.
Bellwyn squinted at the title. “Myths, legends, and fairy tales? You really think that’s our best shot at finding an answer? And judging by the cover, I don’t even want to know what age it was printed in.”
Her complaints were only met with a smile from the Queen. “You’d be surprised at how many legends were based on reality. There’s a running joke among mages that every fairy tale was either to scare a disobedient child or the result of a spell gone horribly wrong. Or both.” She set the book down on her table and settled into the chair. “Now, I’m afraid you need to stay alert for a while. Hopefully I can recover my strength and find something out, but in the meantime you’re my only defense if Zenith tries something.”
Truthfully, Bellwyn wasn’t sure there was much she could do in case of an attack. She was just an archer, and although she was a damn good one, no one knew better than her that there were some monsters you just couldn’t fight with an arrow. She’d gotten over her feelings of inadequacy, at least for the most part. It was difficult not to feel like she was out of place, given how she’d gone from a peasant in a small village to chief scout of the military and consort to the Princess.
They settled into a comfortable silence. Meredith was scanning through the chapters, looking for any useful information, while Bellwyn kept herself sharp and alert. She half expected an army of perverted monsters to burst through the door at any minute. To her relief, however, they were left alone. Several minutes had passed before the Queen finally broke the silence. “Tell me, who do you think Zenith is? If you had to guess, what would you say she wanted?”
It was a question that caught Bellwyn by surprise. “Me? I don’t really know. My expertise is with things I can see and feel, not the arcane arts. Your guess would be far better than mine.” She felt that familiar feeling of awkwardness rising. Bellwyn had been raised in a small village deep in a forest, and most details about rituals and ancient magic went completely over her head.
Meredith simply chuckled at her evasiveness. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking you about the specifics of the spellcasting side. That’s my department. I know all the runes and incantations you could possibly imagine, and plenty more that you can’t. But you’re the most perceptive person I know. You can get a read on people, notice the little details that others would overlook. That’s why you’re such an asset in the wild.” Meredith rolled open another scroll and placed it beside her book, her head turning back and forth between them. “You saw Zenith with your own eyes. You listened to her as much as I did, if not more. I want to hear what you think.”
A twinge of red crept into Bellwyn’s cheeks. Getting such high praise from the Queen herself was already commendable, but if she was to be her future Mother-In-Law, her words carried extra weight. The surge of confidence sent a warm fuzzy feeling through Bellwyn, resulting in a fuzzy tingle in her mind from the sheer giddiness.
After pausing for a moment to compose her thoughts, Bellwyn finally responded. “I think Zenith is playing with us, at least to some degree. It’s not just about beating us and taking the Kingdom. If she had really wanted, odds are Tirencia would have fallen already.” It was a chilling thought, but it made the most sense given their adversary’s actions. “I’m willing to bet she’s specifically targeting the royal family.”
“That would make sense, given my current theory.” Meredith didn’t look up, continuing to pour over the parchment in front of her while she spoke. “So if Zenith has it out for us specifically, what do you think her ultimate goals are? Is she just trying to seize power?”
Bellwyn’s mind drifted back to the intel she’d gathered on the Ulerans. How the closest thing to their enemies had been given a strange new material, and then Zenith showed up covered in it. She remembered how the latex felt on her own body as well, tightly wrapping around her in a cocoon, squeezing her body so that every movement created a wonderful sound and rubbed against her sensitive areas… she shook her head, trying to dispel the memory from her brain. “There’s a possibility she’s working with another group, like the Uleran empire. Maybe she wants them under her thumb as much as us. Or maybe she’s only using them as a stepping stone.”
Meredith let out a deep sigh. “Or it’s possible she’s just using us as a stepping stone. Zenith clearly has some connection to the Seraph’s Tear, but if she’s treating this like a game, what does that say about us?” The Queen shifted in her chair, as if fidgeting in place. “I remember parts of how her spell affected me. Everything felt warm, and everything felt nice. I’m guessing it was some sort of mental manipulation, but it was awfully powerful. Even I believed it was good at the time.”
“Yeah, I understand what you mean.” The details of her surroundings became foggy as Bellwyn’s mind returned to her former predicament. “She has a unique affixion with that shiny clothing material. And I have to admit, I can understand the appeal.” Bellwyn dropped her bow as her hands latched together behind her back. She could imagine the latex returning, trapping her arms in a helpless state and leaving herself completely vulnerable. “If she’s doing this to toy with us, it could be that she gets a perverse enjoyment out of it. Whether from wearing it herself or forcing us to.”
Along with Bellwyn, the Queen was beginning to act strangely as well. She was still moving about in her chair, one of her hands on the desk while the other was somewhere else. Bellwyn couldn’t see from her angle, not that she was looking anymore. “Are you implying that Zenith is getting a sexual thrill out of this? That her main goal and reason for toppling our Kingdom is just so she can get off on it?” Meredith’s voice was deep and husky, her breath shaking as she spoke. “There are people who fantasize about taking those in power and bringing them down. Which would put myself in the most danger, of course.”
Bellwyn didn’t even reply. She was imagining all the horrible things Mistress Zenith would do to them. Her and Cherry would be mere playthings instead of rulers, humiliated in whatever way Zenith saw fitting. Their bodies firmly encased in latex, hardly able to move, subject to whatever cruel whims their Mistress saw fit. While Bellwyn merely imagined the cruel fate, Meredith continued to narrate her ideas. “If my theory is correct, we aren’t dealing with a normal enemy. She won’t be satisfied until she’s taken everything from us. Until we’re broken down, reduced to pitiful shells of our former selves, in whatever form she desires.” She let out a deep moan before continuing. “Wouldn’t that be horrible, Bellwyn?”
The ranger tried to respond, but the words wouldn't come out. She was imagining a gag between her lips silencing all sound. However, after a moment, she realized that something felt off. It wasn’t just the thought of a gag that kept her quiet. Bellwyn’s eyes snapped open, the fog in her mind clearing away. She figured out what was happening to them, but it was too late. She was already a victim of Zenith’s trap.
The outfit she’d been imagining herself in was no longer just her imagination. Her body was covered head to toe in a shiny black latex, complete with a sleeve that kept her arms trapped behind her back. A sphere of some sort was in her mouth, held in place by a strap, effectively silencing her. Bellwyn tried to step forward, to warn Meredith of the danger, only to fall on her face. As she tried to stretch her legs out, Bellwyn noticed they were hardly able to separate. Her lower half was adorned with a long skirt, one with a hem so narrow only tiny steps were possible.
Whatever spell was trapping her in bondage wasn’t finished yet. Bellwyn felt something tighten around her throat as a collar materialised, followed by a leash, anchoring her to the floor. With one end around her neck and the other melded into the wooden flooring, Bellwyn was only capable of rising to her knees. She pulled against it as best as she could, but it refused to budge. Even worse, she stuck a couple metres away from Meredith. The Queen was still lost in her stupor, unaware of the changes happening in that room. Although thankfully she didn’t appear to be affected the same way as Bellwyn. Meredith was still wearing her teal dress, with no signs of her attire changing, but it was little comfort to the bound ranger.
Bellwyn yelled into her gag. She needed to get through to Meredith, to snap her out of whatever trance she was in. It was their only hope. But her muffled voice wasn’t enough, and she certainly wasn’t able to tap her on the shoulder.
Something at her feet caught her attention. It was her trusty bow, along with her quiver of arrows, unceremoniously strewn about on the ground. Under most circumstances Bellwyn would be mortified to see her trusted weapon discarded as such. Instead her heart leapt with joy at the revelation. If she couldn’t reach Meredith herself, a projectile was sure to do the trick.
The problem was her state of bondage. Although she was the best shot in the Kingdom her options were severely limited. Her arms were completely out of the question. Her feet were mostly free, but hobbled together they wouldn’t be enough. And thanks to the gag she couldn’t use her mouth to draw back the bow. Bellwyn knew she couldn’t spend too long pondering her conundrum, as time was surely of the essence. If Zenith walked in on them like this, they were all screwed.
She began nocking the arrow. She could only use her feet, and even then it took a few attempts, but eventually she got it ready. With a triumphant cry into her gag, Bellwyn flipped herself around and began pressing it under her chin. Her only option was a deeply unconventional one. She would have to use both feet to hold the bow, draw the arrow back by pressing her chin down onto her chest, and balance on her butt. It was deeply unconventional, and left very little room for error, but it was the best chance she would get. As well as her only chance.
After a few minutes of fumbling about (and a bit of swearing into her gag), Bellwyn was ready. She wasn’t aiming directly at the Queen, of course. Her target was much smaller than that. On the desk, next to where Meredith’s scrolls and papers, was an ornate inkwell. Bellwyn needed something loud and noticeable to break the stupor. Breaking the inkwell would result in a loud shattering, as well as spilling the ink everywhere. Meredith would either hear or feel something from it. If she didn’t, they were both completely screwed.
Bellwyn lined up the shot. She took a few deep breaths through her nose. For anyone else, seated on their rear using their feet and chin to aim, this would be an impossible shot. But Bellwyn was no stranger to impossible shots. She tried to block everything out of her mind. No more focusing on how helpless and vulnerable she was, no more thinking about the tight latex against her skin. No imagining her Zenith would laugh to see her bound to the floor like this. And above all else, no thinking about what would happen to Cherry and her Mother if this didn’t work.
She was ready. Despite her precarious position, Bellwyn was rock solid, putting every ounce of concentration into her aim. It looked like she was ready to fire perfectly, waking up the Queen and giving them a chance to recoup. But as she took one final breath before letting go, the magic entrapping her activated one last time.
Her eyes widened as she felt something within her. A pair of plugs had just magically grown from inside her suit, one going up her vagina, and the other directly in her asshole. The intruders were large, much larger than anything she’d used before, and left her with an intense feeling of fullness.
The distraction couldn’t have come at a worse time. It caused Bellwyn to ball back on her side, while also letting the arrow go from her chin. It went flying off at a high angle, and instead of the loud mess she’d been attempting, it landed with a soft thud high up in a bookshelf. The bow itself went flying out from her feet as well, landing far away from what her leash would allow.
Tears began to well in Bellwyn’s eyes. Meredith hadn’t even stirred, her body still unresponsive to their plight. Her only hope of snapping her out of it was completely gone. And worst of all, she had these new plugs to deal with as well. They were large enough that they were impossible to ignore, regardless of how she twisted and turned. Every movement just felt like they were getting buried deeper inside of her. And as far as she knew, they might have been doing exactly that.
“On the bright side, whatever perverse intentions Zenith has for us, at least we’ll be prepared.” Meredith’s optimistic words were like a stab in the gut. Bellwyn screamed as loud as she could into her gag, but the Queen gave no notice she heard. She was still sitting in place, idly rubbing herself, completely unaware of their dangerous situation. Bellwyn had utterly failed in her one job as a guard. There was nothing she could do now but wait and hope one of their friends showed up before one an enemy did. And with Zenith’s magic, it was impossible to know who would be who.
Just as she resigned herself to waiting, Bellwyn felt a deep rumbling from the floor. She pressed her ear to the ground, and the sound of a faint pop could be heard from far away. A cold wind blew into the room, followed by the sound of cruel laughter in the distance. Bellwyn knew exactly what the sound had been. It was the breaking of a magical barrier.
Zenith was free.
