The Kitten, the Witches and the Bad Wardrobe - Willow & Tara Forever

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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore (AU)
PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:47 pm 
Justin: Thanks :) Sorry I didn't reply earlier; I honestly didn't notice that the Hellebore had popped up again. In fact I just spent fifteen minutes searching for it down in the high-numbered pages of the board, before I gave up and just started doing a keyword search of each page... d'oh :) I'm glad you enjoyed the story, and that you liked the twist. It was something I'd planned, but of course I hadn't planned anything in very much detail, and the story turned out to be *very* detailed, so a lot of the time it felt like I was winging it regardless of having a plan :)



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 Post subject: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:52 pm 
Hellebore short story #1: 'The Outfit'



Author: Chris Cook

Rating: NC-17.

Summary: Tara's got a surprise in store for Willow...

Spoilers: None (except, of course, for Hellebore).

Copyright: Based on characters from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', created by Joss Whedon and his talented minionators, and 'Diablo II' by Blizzard Entertainment. All original material is copyright 2004 Chris Cook.

Feedback: Please. Here, or to alia@netspace.net.au



Note: All things being equal, you probably don't need to have read Hellebore for this to make sense. In plot terms it's... let's just say 'light on plot'.



Dedication: This short story if my tribute to JustSkipIt (Debra)'s 'Please - The Series', the original 'Kitten' tale.



Last Note: This takes place a few weeks after the end of Hellebore.



-----



Willow sat up in bed with her legs stretched out before her, one of the two journals she and Tara shared nestled in her lap, awaiting the first stroke of her quill. Their journal proper, where they took turns recording events of the day, interesting stories, mental meanderings... all the accumulated thoughts of two full lives, was closed on the writing desk. The one Willow was preparing to add to was their other journal, the private one, the one in which the carefully-composed pages, in both Willow's precise, neat hand and Tara's flowing one, recorded the most intimate details of their lives, their passion, their unbridled desire for each other, the times when love swept them utterly away from the world... Willow found herself given to take far more care writing in this journal. For the other, whatever mood she was in at the time - analytical, whimsical, inclined to brevity or expansiveness in her writing - would do. For this, she demanded of herself only the most complete, deeply personal words she could muster. Entering a new passage inevitably began with a period of sitting and wondering how to begin, how to commit love to paper and ink.



She glanced fondly down at Tara, still lying curled against her, a hand on her thigh, in beautiful sleep under the light of a dozen candles. It would be some time yet before Willow would have to rouse her for dinner; turning her attention back to the journal, she cast her mind back to earlier in the day.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Willow returned to the room she and Tara shared in the expansive Palace, home of the Duke of Duncraig and about three hundred other people as well, to find Tara waiting for her, dressed in a long black robe that trailed on the floor. The shutters were closed against the last light of the afternoon, and the room was lit by a dozen scented candles, casting a soft, intimate glow and filling the air with a faint aroma that promised enchanted dreams.



"What's the occasion?" Willow grinned, dropping her satchel by the door and leaning her staff against the wall, next to Tara's spear.



"I've got a surprise for you," Tara said with a knowing smile, which was all that Willow needed to know there was more going on than Tara being in the mood for candles suddenly. She crossed the room to stand beside Tara, and noticed, in her customary appraisal of her betrothed's intoxicating presence, that she seemed a little taller than usual. She glanced down at the tip of a toe, poking out from beneath the hem of Tara's robe.



"You're wearing high boots?" she wondered, with amused bafflement causing a cute smile to grace her lips. "With a robe?"



"I bought myself some new clothes," Tara said airily, glancing sidelong at Willow as she snuffed out the lit taper and returned it to its box. "My payment for instructing the Duke's archers included a little bonus this week. Captain Tallen said the Duke was particularly pleased on the weekend when he saw how his soldiers had improved. So I took a stroll through the market district."



She winked at Willow and turned to cross the room, picking up a discarded book from the table and returning it to its shelf. As she left the carpet and crossed the wooden floor near the bookcase, Willow distinctly heard the difference in the sound of her footsteps, the muted impacts of hard soles against the wood., and noticed that Tara's hips had developed a particularly sensual sway from the hints she could see beneath her robe.



"I found a little shop just off the main square," Tara continued, "with a discreet little sign that piqued my curiosity, and I went inside. They had some very... interesting clothing, so I bought myself a new outfit. I thought you might like it." She returned to stand in front of Willow, and undid the sash around her waist. As her fingers peeked out of the trailing sleeves of the robe, Willow noticed with a raised eyebrow that she was wearing finely-stitched black gloves.



"So," Tara said, with a smile that promised a great deal, "what do you think?" She reached up to pull back the chest of the robe, and shrugged it leisurely from her shoulders. The material fell softly to the ground, and Willow gaped in astonishment.



"I-I think..." Willow stammered, "n-no... can't think..."



"My brilliant Willow can't think?" Tara's smile deepened.



"Nuh-uh," Willow said, still unable to tear her eyes from Tara's form, "brain, mushy..." At that point the effort to speak became too much, and she fell silent in admiration and arousal.



Her eyes were drawn first and foremost to Tara's bosom, and in all honesty she couldn't blame them. Her beloved was wearing a bustier of smooth, soft black leather, containing her figure in an elegant curve, fitted perfectly by way of buckled straps on either side. From her waist upwards stretched twin rows of tiny brass buttons, and between them ran a series of laces, holding the garment tight around her torso and offering tiny glimpses of pale skin between them. The top was level, and by it her breasts were supported - no, *presented* was the word - most delectably, twin swells of silken perfection, and the cleavage beneath them accentuated to a velvety chasm Willow would fall into without a second's hesitation. Her nipples were barely covered - indeed, Willow noticed the edge of the coral-hued aureoles surrounding them, peeking over the top.



Tara grinned at Willow's speechless appraisal, and put her hands - in black gloves, reaching half-way from elbows to shoulders - on her hips, shifting her weight slightly. Willow seemed to emerge from her trance, and her eyes travelled down to take in the rest of her lover.



A thin band of bare skin peeked through from beneath the bottom edge of the bustier, inviting hands to stroke her skin, grip her waist. Low on her hips began the smoothest, shiniest, sexiest pair of trousers Willow had ever seen - black, silken and tight enough that they may as well have been painted on. Every curve of Tara's shapely legs was there, thin strips of reflected light marking them, while the smoothness of her flesh was imitated by the deep, dark leather. Just below her knees were the tops of black riding boots, strapped down the outsides, the toes slightly pointed, the heels lifting off the ground an inch more than usual.



Willow's eyes made the tortuously arousing journey back up Tara's body, sliding up her black-clad legs, along the laces running up the front of her torso, managing with an effort of will to get past her full breasts, rising as she inhaled, to finally meet her gaze.



"You like?" Tara asked, the curve of her lips belying her shy tone.



Willow opened her mouth, and found her voice still absent. Instead she stepped forward, pressing herself against Tara, her arms circling her waist, hands roaming her back, revelling in the cool, smooth touch - like her armour but more so, as if the qualities she found arousing there had been woven, on their own, into a form that truly deserved them. Of their own volition, her palms descended to cup Tara's buttocks, squeezing gently, while her fingertips reached the defined cleft between them, sliding across the material that, far from hiding this intimate form, enhanced it.



'Goddess,' she thought, 'every curve... it hides nothing... might as well be naked...'



"You like," Tara said again, but this time it was clearly a confirmation of what she knew without a doubt.



"I like," Willow whispered unsteadily, barely finding her voice again, but unable to remain silent. "I love..."



"I know," Tara nodded, her gloved hands cupping Willow's face, positioning her lips to be tasted, "I love you."



Their kiss was long, slow. Willow found herself utterly helpless in Tara's arms, able only to continue touching her, as she welcomed every venture Tara's lips made across hers, and her tongue delving deep into her mouth. Attuned to Tara's moods, she felt the confidence in her, the arousal in being the one to reach forward, to guide, to bestow pleasure as and when she chose, and know that no matter how she teased and tantalised, her love was received and returned. Willow sensed at once that Tara's inclination this afternoon matched her attire - Tara wanted to take her. A thrill ran through her, a moan escaping her throat, arousal heightening itself, the expectation of what was to come sweetened by the depth of her own desire for it.



"Mmm," Tara murmured, ending the kiss with a final brush of her tongue over Willow's lower lip, "my Willow..."



"Your Willow," Willow said at once, eyes fluttering open to see the smile on Tara's face assuming a deliciously predatory curve, her gentle nature no impediment to the heat of her desire - indeed, quite the opposite.



"Mine," she said in a sultry whisper, confirming Willow's soaring hopes.



"Mmm," Willow purred, long and low in her throat. Tara's arms relaxed around her, one draped over her shoulder, the other comfortable around her waist.



"I love that sound," she smiled, "make it again..."



"Mmmmmmm," Willow complied, pressing her lips against Tara's neck, the vibration travelling into her skin.



"Love," Tara sighed, "beautiful... my love purrs like a kitten."



"Your kitten," Willow whispered. Tara paused a moment, in which Willow savoured her contemplation, then dropped her other hand to hold her waist with both.



"My kitten," she agreed. Her eyes met Willow's, fires burning somewhere beneath their crystal blue. "Do you want to be my kitten?"



"Yesss," Willow breathed, doing her utmost to put every ounce of desire, need, every last shred of love she possessed and felt into the single syllable. Tara's face seemed to glow as the word faded from her lips with a hiss, leaving her mouth open, expectant.



"So, then... am I your mistress now?" she asked levelly, her gaze caressing Willow's lips.



"Oh yes," Willow whispered. Tara's hand crept back up her body, tracing the curve of her waist and torso through the fabric of her tunic, finally reaching her neck. With a single finger she lifted Willow's chin, smiling at her intake of breath, then gently but firmly held her jaw. She leaned close, turning Willow's head slightly to whisper in her ear.



"Then I am your mistress," she said, letting her warm breath tickle Willow's skin, "that shall be my name, Kitten." Her tongue darted out to flick Willow's earlobe, sending a shiver through her. "Say it," she murmured.



"Mistress," Willow whimpered. Tara's grip on her grew looser, her hand on her jaw more gentle.



"If you want Tara back..." she said quietly.



"I know, Mistress," Willow replied, understanding - she had only to speak Tara's name to signal a pause in their game. Tara drew in a slow breath, and her hands both moved to Willow's shoulders.



"Good Kitten," she whispered. "Lift up your arms for me." Willow obediently stretched her arms above her head, grinning as Tara lifted the hem of her tunic, slowly sliding it up over her shoulders, revealing her torso and her silk-clad breasts. She gently tugged the neckline over Willow's head, then paused, with Willow's arms still in the tunic's sleeves.



"I've got an idea, Kitten," she murmured, watching Willow through lidded eyes, "do you feel like indulging me?"



"Oh yes Mistress," Willow replied quickly. With a touch Tara drew Willow's arms down to her shoulders, folded behind her neck with the tunic still tangled around them. She laid a palm flat on Willow's chest and gave the slightest push, rewarding Willow with a pleased smile as she began taking small paces backwards. Tara guided her until she gently bumped into the stone wall.



"Now, arms up again," Tara said nonchalantly. "And hold on." Willow lifted her hands, each clutching a handful of fabric. When her knuckles touched cool metal through the cloth, she realised what Tara had in mind, and drew a shuddering breath, anticipating.



Tara reached up and hooked the body of the tunic over one of the coat-hooks on the wall, so that Willow remained trapped unless she let go of the garment and withdrew her arms from its sleeves.



"Hmm," Tara murmured approvingly, so close Willow could feel her words as the breath of them wafted across her cheek, "much better... Tell me Kitten, how does this make you feel?"



"I-I... vulnerable, Mistress," Willow answered honestly. The fact that she was restrained only by her own grip made no difference; her Mistress's words held her. Tara gently nudged her legs apart and leant forward, resting her chin on Willow's shoulder, her leather-clad thigh pressing against Willow's skirt, teasing her with the friction over the junction of her legs.



"Does that mean you don't like it?" she whispered in Willow's ear.



"Oh no, Mistress," Willow breathed, "I do... for you, Mistress..."



With a chuckle that made Willow shiver, Tara drew her earlobe between her lips, flicking the tip of her tongue back and forth over the rounded nub as she sucked on it. Willow bit her lip to keep her moans quiet, not wanting to betray too much pleasure yet, when she was sure her Mistress was only beginning to play with her. On and on Tara went, sucking, nibbling, and Willow couldn't keep her body from responding as it desperately wanted to. Wriggling her hips she managed to hike her skirt up a few inches, enough to create some slack between her legs, so she could press herself properly against Tara's thigh, and feel the firm contact fully on her sex, through the dampening fabric covering it.



Tara's gloved hands stroked Willow's sides, up and down as her lips and tongue slowly robbed her of all self-restraint. As Willow began to grind her hips rhythmically against her thigh, Tara let her hands drift forward, each taking a satin-clad breast in its palm, holding, squeezing the pliant flesh. Willow's moans took on a new urgency, no attempt made now to keep herself in check. Still Tara sucked on her lobe, urging Willow on, letting her press her breasts into her palms, her moist centre against her leg.



All at once she stopped and withdrew, stepping to one side. Willow couldn't contain a dismayed whimper, her hips instinctively arching forward, searching for the lost pressure, her legs buckling slightly, leaving her hanging from her arms. After a desperate moment she managed to compose herself, steadying her breathing, standing straight again, waiting.



Tara let her wait for a long minute, sensing, even enjoying, the effort it took Willow to keep from looking at her, to maintain her willing, submissive posture. Leaning casually against the wall beside Willow, she contented herself in watching her lips, slightly parted, trembling as she drew deep breaths that lifted her chest most invitingly.



Finally she relented, slowly lifting a hand to Willow's mouth, where she delicately touched a fingertip to her lower lip, rolling it down before trailing her way down her jaw and neck. She felt the convulsive swallow as her finger passed; then she dipped into Willow's cleavage, stroking down to the centre of her red satin bra, then back up, tracing the round contour of the tops of her breasts, one and then the other. She repeated the motion several times, taking quiet note of Willow's reactions, the slow, unmistakeable building of her need, as the gloved fingertip moved back and forth.



"You're mine," she said quietly, altering the course of her finger slightly to trace across the swells of Willow's breasts, her soft, thin leather sliding easily over Willow's satin.



"Y-yes Mistress..." Willow said shakily, her eyes fluttering closed as she concentrated on summoning her fleeting voice. Tara smiled and let her forehead rest against Willow's arm, her hair falling down to cover Willow's shoulder, the ends tickling her skin. She fixed her attention on Willow's nipples, each standing firm, quite visibly protruding through her bra. Her fingertip circled each in turn.



"I know you're mine," she whispered, flicking a nipple, drawing a gasp from Willow. "But, because it pleases Mistress..." she let her finger rest just below the other nipple for a moment, long enough to feel Willow's breath catch in expectation - then flicked upwards, earning another gasp, "...I'm going to prove it anyway."



She savoured Willow's shuddering sigh, then stepped in front of her, gently tugging the cup of her bra down, exposing her left breast. While her hand again covered the other, Tara leant down and held her open lips about Willow's nipple, a fraction from touching her. She let out a long breath, heating Willow's skin, teasing her most delicately while, just to the side, her hand began a fierce massage, squeezing firmly, lifting its breast free of the bra and clutching tightly to it.



"Oh goddess," Willow moaned, just on the edge of hearing, "oh yes, oh yes, please Mistress, please..."



Tara took another deep breath, held it, and felt Willow hold hers as well. She let the warm air escape her, caressing the nipple that was almost within her mouth, and to contrast the gentle stimulation, took Willow's other nipple between her fingers and pinched it, exactly as firmly as she knew Willow would like. Willow moaned loudly, her shoulders moving from side to side, causing her chest to move also, one breast caught tightly in Tara's hold, the other brushing against her open lips as it swayed.



"Enough teasing?" Tara enquired, her lips opening and closing on the hard nipple as she spoke.



"Ahhhhh-ohhh-pleee-ee-eeaaase," Willow begged, her voice catching on every syllable, almost as if she were sobbing. Tara closed her lips finally, applying the full force of suction she could create to Willow's straining nipple, teasing it with her tongue just as she had Willow's earlobe earlier. Willow gasped and arched her back, pressing herself completely into Tara's hand and mouth.



With not inconsiderable discipline, Tara maintained her composure in spite of the erotic spectacle physically pleading for her touch. Softening her grip on Willow's other breast, she drew her lips back, holding her nipple instead between her teeth, judging the pressure to perfection. Willow's head lolled from side to side, incoherent moans escaping her lips, and she shuddered, trembling, caught between pulling away from the tingling bite and pressing herself into it. She barely noticed as Tara's free hand crept up her back and pulled free the ties of her bra, undoing first the shoulder straps and then the main tie, leaving the satin to fall to the floor, unregarded.



Quickly, Tara switched sides, opening her mouth wide and engulfing Willow's other nipple, along with a reasonably portion of her breast. Willow cried out in pleasure as, within the velvet warmth of Tara's mouth, her tongue set to work, up and down, one moment flat against her skin, the next pulling back, dragging its tip along her nipple as if enticing her in deeper. Her legs gave out again, but this time Tara's arms, one around her waist, the other flat against her front, hand covering her free breast, held her upright.



Tara gave her a moment to steady her legs, then moved slowly downwards, her hands preceding her, going to Willow's waist as she kissed her way across her trembling stomach. With deft tugs she undid the laces on either side of the waist of Willow's skirt, letting it slide down her legs. Her mouth reached Willow's navel, and she delved her tongue into the depression, swirling about as if trying to reach into her core from the outside.



Gently, but unmistakeably firmly, her hands closed on the insides of Willow's thighs and spread them. Lower and lower Willow sank as her feet were parted wider on the floor beneath her. All the while Tara kept kissing her, pressing lips and tongue into her skin. Willow's moans were constant, and Tara believed she could actually feel the fluttering of her core through her lips. Finally Willow was at full stretch, her legs parted as far as they could comfortably go, thus lowering her body so that her arms again bore some of her weight.



Tara slowly stood, breathing warm air over Willow's abdomen and cleavage as she rose, until finally she was upright in front of her, markedly taller now, thanks to Willow's posture and the slight advantage of her own heels over the flat-soled soft leather boots that were now all Willow wore. She stared down, holding Willow in her gaze, and with deliberate slowness brought her hand to the apex of Willow's thighs.



The glove kept her fingers from tasting Willow's moisture, but even so she could simply feel the slickness of her folds, the ease with which her leather slid over Willow's sex, her middle finger gently intruding between her lips, into the softness within. Willow's eyes closed and her mouth opened, a silent exhale marking a pleasure that she couldn't find voice for. Forcing herself to remain disciplined, Tara reached her fingertip to the entrance to Willow's centre, then paused, quite still, just a fraction into the tight heat offered to her. She held her breath, watching Willow - she felt the struggle within her, the strong urge to thrust downward, to take the gloved finger within herself to the hilt, an urge denied only by force of will.



"Do you like my glove, Kitten?" she asked in a sultry tone.



"Y-ye-e... y-yes... M-mis-stress," Willow whispered.



"My glove likes you," Tara continued, "I think... it would be very enjoyable... to feel you around me, like this..." She stirred her finger, wriggling gently back and forth, stimulating Willow while still denying her the sensation she truly wanted.



"Please, Mistress," Willow murmured in a tiny voice, "please, please, please, pleasepleasepleaseplease..."



"Eyes open, Kitten," Tara commanded. Willow stared into her gaze, hiding none of the slow exultation she felt as Tara gradually eased her finger inside her, fraction by fraction, until her clenching tunnel held its full length, the rest of her fingers and her palm flattened against her sex.



"Very enjoyable," she repeated, "oh Kitten, you're so lovely and warm... you love this, don't you?" She brought her other hand to Willow's chin, lifting it, tilting Willow's head back, all while her eyes held Willow's.



"And you're being such a good Kitten," she continued, "I know you must want so badly to move... to thrust... I could let you, couldn't I? With just a word..."



She tilted her head to one side, an enigmatic smile on her lips, then all at once she slid her finger from Willow and withdrew her hand entirely. Willow's lower lip trembled with want, and her gaze pleaded. Slowly, Tara brought her hand, the glove now slick with Willow's arousal, to her mouth, and dragged her finger over her lips, painting them with moisture.



"Not yet, Kitten," she said in a stern voice. "You see, a Mistress must do more than simply enjoy her Kitten... she must take care of her. And that includes disciplining her when she's been a naughty Kitten." She let her hand drop again, but this time merely brushed her fingertips through the curls of hair crowning Willow's sex.



"No panties, Kitten?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "And I know you worked through lunch today in the workshop, so you didn't change then... You must have been naked under your skirt all day. Such a naughty Kitten. Such a... shameless Kitten... Tell me, while you were sitting at your desk, reading and making notes and studying... when there was no-one nearby, and you hidden by all the clutter in the workshop from prying eyes... did you touch yourself, Kitten? Stealthily lift up your skirt, stroke your sex... rub your clit... did you slide your fingers into yourself and imagine it was me? Tell me."



"N-no Mistress," Willow managed. There was a hesitation in her voice, one which Tara heard, and knew Willow was doing nothing to disguise - her answer, while true, left more unsaid.



"But you wanted to, didn't you Kitten?" she asked with a knowing smile. Willow's cheeks reddened, and her lips trembled.



"Yes Mistress," she admitted in a hushed voice.



"Mmm," Tara hummed, nodding, "no doubt about it, such a naughty Kitten. And what does a conscientious Mistress do with a naughty Kitten?"



"S-she... disciplines h-her Kitten, Mistress..."



"Yes," Tara said in a low voice, "she does." She turned and walked away from Willow a few paces, then turned again. "Come here, Kitten."



Willow brought her feet back together and stood, slipping her arms out of her tunic, which was hanging from its hook. She obediently walked to Tara and stood in front of her, arms at her sides, head tilted down but looking up at her from beneath her brows, curious.



"How do you feel now, Kitten?" Tara enquired casually.



"Aroused, Mistress," Willow replied quickly. Tara smiled, and began to walk a slow circuit around her, her eyes moving up and down her body.



"I'm sure," she said part-way around, grinning a little wider as her gaze lingered on Willow's pert bottom. She reached down and lightly drew a fingertip along the shallow crevice between buttock and thigh, causing Willow to tense, her cheeks firming even more.



"Your discipline will be one of patience," Tara explained, returning to stand in front of Willow. "I know how demanding the heat inside you is right now... you will pleasure your Mistress, without release of your own, as I instruct you."



"Yes Mistress," Willow said eagerly.



"Once that is done..." Tara paused, biting her lip lightly as she again ran her eyes the length of Willow, "...we'll see. Take your boots off now Kitten, I want you up on the bed. Kneeling."



Willow obeyed quickly got onto the bed, settling herself on her knees on the edge, facing Tara. She folded her feet neatly beneath her buttocks, and on an impulse drew her arms back, crossing her wrists in the small of her back, which she straightened as much as she could, thrusting her chest forward. Tara took a pace forward, standing right in front of her - now a head taller - and looked down.



"Very pretty, my Kitten," she complimented. "Now, tell me... this," she stroked a hand over her bustier, from the top down to its lower edge at her waist, "do you like this, Kitten?"



"It's beautiful Mistress," Willow said at once.



"Thank you, Kitten," Tara smiled. "It feels good. To be held tightly, enclosed... maybe I'll let you try it sometime. But for now, I think it's served its purpose. Remove it for me, Kitten - but don't touch anything else... not yet."



Willow reached for the tiny bow at the top of the laces, and carefully undid it. With Willow's hands still on the bustier Tara took a deep breath, her bosom pressing the sides of the garment outwards, pulling the laces around their buttons. She lifted her arms, linking her fingers behind her neck as Willow completed the task of unlacing the bustier. Once done, she carefully manoeuvred the stiff leather around Tara's torso, finally lifting it clear to one side and placing it carefully on the bed, her hands gentle on the smooth leather, and the silken black lining on the inside. Tara inhaled again, displaying her breasts at their most prominent, and couldn't contain an amused grin as Willow's eyes fixed on them and her breathing became shallow. Another breath, and Willow's gaze moved up and down gently, following the immediate objects of her desire as they lifted and settled.



"Do you like what you see, Kitten?" Tara asked, regardless of the obvious proof staring her, so to speak, in the face. She leant down, undoing the straps on her boots, and Willow's eyes followed her breasts as they swung gently, then settled back against her chest as she straightened.



"Oh yes Mistress," Willow murmured in an awed voice. Tara smiled and delicately lifted her feet free of the boots, nudging them aside.



"Hands behind your back," she instructed, "I like that posture for you, and you won't be needing them for now. Now," she went on as Willow complied, "when Mistress pleasured you a moment ago, were you paying proper attention?"



"Yes Mistress," Willow said, unable to suppress a slight touch of incredulity that she could possibly have been aware of anything else, let alone be distracted.



"Good," Tara nodded. "Using only your mouth, Kitten, pleasure me the same way."



Willow was already rising to kneel upright when she hesitated, looking questioningly up at Tara.



"Exactly the same, Mistress?" she asked. Tara let her grin widen, showing her teeth.



"Yes Kitten," she replied softly, "you know the... range of sensations your Mistress enjoys. I expect all of them."



"Yes Mistress," Willow breathed joyously, even as her lips drew near Tara's breasts. Tara arched her back as Willow teased her right nipple with the tip of her tongue, then the left, alternating between one and the other, her caresses becoming more pronounced each time. From teasing contact she moved to long, full licks, starting well below Tara's nipples, her tongue crossing over them and reaching more skin above with each pass. As Willow bathed her breasts, Tara did her utmost to contain the signs of her growing, immediate arousal, but there was only so long she could hold out - Willow took her restraint as a sign that she should try harder, and soon nothing could keep the moans of pleasure from escaping Tara's throat.



Her mouth fell open as Willow finally closed her lips and began to suck, tongue still dancing energetically within the warm confines of her mouth. Unable to use her hands, she quickly moved her mouth from one breast to another, bestowing the same attention on each, never letting either nipple go without stimulation for more than a few seconds. Tara found the rapid contrast between the warmth of Willow's mouth and the room's cool air against her wet skin maddeningly arousing, and quite without realising it her hips began swaying. Responding of its own volition to the sensations permeating Tara's core from her breasts, her body danced an erotic rhythm, anticipating her lover's touch in even more intimate regions.



When Willow finally began taking Tara's nipples between her teeth, there was nothing she could do to remain upright. Lacking the support Willow had enjoyed while suspended on the wall, and simply too aroused to stand, Tara lunged forward, pinning Willow to the bed, momentarily smothering her in a wealth of soft flesh as, on hands and knees, she arched her back, pressing all of herself to Willow's eager mouth. Willow never faltered in her joyous task, her head turning one way and the other, engulfing each nipple in turn as it hung down to her, while wriggling into a more comfortable position, legs hanging off the edge of the bed, arms still beneath her back.



"Good, Kitten," Tara gasped, "good... so good..." Supporting herself with one arm, she used her free hand to cup her breasts in turn, offering each to Willow's lips as she moved from side to side. Caught in a maelstrom of sensation, Willow's mouth like an ocean whirlpool drawing on her breasts, she had to struggle to retain control of herself. With a supreme effort she lifted her body, dragging her moist nipples out of range of Willow's eager mouth.



"*Very* good," she whispered breathlessly, "very good... outstanding... a little reward for you, my hungry Kitten..." She leaned down to kiss Willow, her lips matching the voracious appetite she had just felt, her tongue leaving no corner of Willow's mouth unexplored. Gently urging Willow further onto the bed, so that she lay stretched out beneath her, Tara relented for a moment, giving all the pleasure she could through their joined lips.



"Thank you Mistress," Willow breathed when Tara drew back from her full, moist lips.



"You're welcome, my Kitten," Tara smiled, shifting her hips slightly to get comfortable, straddling Willow's waist. "You may use your hands now... you remember I said I had a surprise for you?"



"Yes Mistress," Willow nodded, "but I thought... isn't this the surprise?" Her hand brushed against Tara's leather-clad thigh.



"Good guess, Kitten," Tara chuckled, "but no... this is the wrapping for your surprise, and now, it's time for you to unwrap it. Slowly."



Willow's hands obediently went to the row of brass buttons running over Tara's crotch. She undid the first, at her waist, taking a trembling breath as it popped open. Tara leaned forward, resting an elbow either side of Willow's shoulders.



"Eyes here, Kitten," she instructed, prompting Willow to meet her gaze while her fingers continued their work below her waist, navigating by feel and familiarity. One by one the buttons were undone, the front of Tara's pants yawning open wider and wider, revealing her mound to the open air. At last Willow ran out of buttons, and though she had conscientiously kept herself from touching Tara throughout, she knew that her sex was revealed - she was sure she could feel the heat radiating from it on her hands.



"Now, Kitten," Tara murmured, "put your hand on my stomach, flat... there... now slowly, down..."



She watched Willow's eyes intently as her hand edged downwards, noting the slight confusion that crept into her gaze when her fingertips reached her mound, turning to surprise as she reached further, her eyes wide as she finally cupped Tara's mound in her palm.



"Surprise," she whispered. "Do you want to see, Kitten?"



"Uh..." Willow barely managed to say, nodding. Tara sat up again, looking down her body as Willow's eyes fell to her crotch, framed by the open sides of her pants, resting herself comfortably on Willow's unresisting hand.



"Goddess," Willow breathed reverentially, drinking in the sight of the expanse of smooth skin, naked where previously soft blonde hair had crowned Tara's centre. She moved her hand slowly, drawing her fingertips lightly across Tara's bare mound, the tip of her tongue darting out unconsciously to moisten her lips.



"Do you like what you see, my Kitten?" Tara asked, her voice quiet, with just a hint of vulnerability to it.



"*Yes*, Mistress," Willow said emphatically. Tara smiled, and the slight tension in her flowed away, leaving her to settle into Willow's exploratory caresses.



"Ahh... mmm... I'm glad," she breathed happily, "I hoped... you would find it..."



"Erotic, Mistress?" Willow supplied, rubbing her palm over the naked skin, while her fingers gently stirred among Tara's folds lower down. "Arousing? Sensual... irresistible..."



"All of the above," Tara grinned. "Now... mmm... do you remember what your disciplining is to be, Kitten?"



"Yes Mistress," Willow said promptly, her fingers keeping their slow, steady rhythm, "I'm to pleasure you..."



"That's right, Kitten," Tara nodded, swinging her leg over Willow and laying back, gently pulling her lover on top of her. "Very thoroughly, Kitten..."



Willow bit her lip as Tara held her hips and pulled her soaked centre against her stomach.



"...all without relieving this desperate need of yours..."



She watched as Willow shivered, controlling herself in spite of the overwhelming desire to satisfy the ache in her core.



"Yes Mistress," Willow whispered.



"Imagine, Kitten," Tara went on, reaching a hand up to guide Willow's face down to hers, "imagine how it will be... the need inside you, when you feel my core grasp at your fingers... when my arousal floods your tongue... will you be able to hold yourself in check?"



Willow met her gaze, and from within her came the strength to answer, levelly: "Yes Mistress."



Tara smiled, seeing in her eyes that, for all her body's protests, Willow's soul was obeying without a second thought.



"Love your Mistress, Kitten," she commanded.



At once Willow was kissing her breasts, hungrily tasting her skin, sucking her nipples. Her hands went to work further down, loosening Tara's leather pants, sliding the waist down around her thighs. Tara leant her head back over the pillow and breathed deeply, wondering if she would be able to endure Willow's loving long enough for her to reach her core at all before she came, but Willow moved quickly now. Having tasted Tara's breasts anew, she moved down, kissing her way across her abdomen while her hands tugged her pants from her legs and tossed them to the corner of the bed, leaving Tara's long gloves the only piece of clothing worn between them.



Tara closed her eyes, floating in bliss as Willow approached her centre. Often she would brush her cheek lovingly against the soft hair above it before settling down to eat her fill, and Tara had hoped the novelty of her new condition would allay whatever slight disappointment Willow might feel at being denied this particular sensual luxury. Feeling Willow's tongue slide across her, Tara discovered to her gleeful surprise that, far from being disappointed, Willow had discovered an entirely new sensation to give her. Willow licked her mound all over, side to side, from her waist to the crown of her sex, her swollen clit straining from beneath its hood, as if she had never tasted anything so delicious as her freshly bare skin. No stranger to the caress of Willow's tongue on all manner of delightful places on her body, Tara nonetheless was unprepared to resist this new stimulation, and in seconds her aloof manner was washed away by a tide of pure sexual heat.



"Ahhh-h-h Kit-ten-n-n," she moaned, "Go-o-od-desssss yeeesss... yess, Kitten, oh yes, yes that's right, yes..." She gained some measure of control over herself, just enough to give voice to her feelings, to urge Willow on as she wanted to, heedless of the slight chance of being overheard, heedless of anything beyond her lover. "Yes Kitten, lick Mistress, oh yes... yes baby, like that... show Mistress how good your beautiful little kitten tongue is... oh, so good... so good Kitten, oh yes, yes, ye-ESS!"



Her exclamation came as Willow, lapping at the bottom edge of her mound, suddenly moved lower and engulfed her clit, teasing around the sensitised nub of flesh with her tongue while the warmth of her mouth soaked into Tara's core. She was barely aware of Willow's fingers gently parting her folds, just another beautiful sensation among so many, but when two fingertips edged into her passage she was suddenly aware of nothing else.



Rising up off the bed, thrusting her hips towards Willow, she drove herself onto her fingers, giving an animal groan as she felt her knuckles press against her sex, the satisfaction of her consuming need to have Willow within her granting her a state of bliss, a heaven that was unparalleled, and existed only in Willow's embrace. Endurance was impossible - she cried out in pleasure, urging her clit into Willow's mouth, her whole body welcoming the thrusting fingers into her core, and like a dam bursting she came.



Willow held onto her tightly, an arm around her waist, not counting the times her sex clenched anew, barely aware of her hips falling to the bed only to rise up again as another wave of climax crested and broke within her. Warmth gushed over her fingers, coating her hand in fragrant wetness, Tara's clit in her mouth practically throbbed with pleasure as her tongue played over it, and with her eyes closed, every remaining sense filled with Tara, all evidence of the pleasure she felt. It was almost more than Willow could cope with, but some thin, strong thread of determination kept at bay her own release, despite every taste, every scent, every touch of Tara's skin and every one of her ecstatic cries that came to her ears stirring the climax within her. She felt as if, within her, a wild animal that could only endure so much before it broke free of its captivity was being baited, prodded, brought perilously close to the edge of rebellion. But she was stronger, and the wildness that shouted for her to bring her fingers to her sex, to grind her hips against the bed beneath her - even to press her thighs together would be enough - was denied.



Finally Tara was spent, and one last time she collapsed flat on her back, sighing as her sex gave up the last of its juice into Willow's waiting hand. Tenderly Willow licked her folds, her tongue soft as a cloud, perfectly attentive to the needs of Tara's over-sensitised body. At the same time, without conscious prompting, she rubbed her soaked hand over her own chest, painting her cleavage and then her stomach with the copious products of Tara's bliss.



She wondered idly whether their play was over, holding out a faint hope that Tara would have enough strength left after her phenomenal climax to bring her Kitten release - it wouldn't take more than a touch, in her current state, her sex buzzing with barely-contained energy. Not that she would value her own climax over giving Tara such pleasure. There was truly more satisfaction to be found for her in fulfilling her lover's needs than her own, and that had nothing to do with playing at being Mistress and Kitten.



With a final, gentle lick, she lifted her head from Tara's sex, and was caught entirely off guard as Tara surged up beneath her, gripping her shoulders and rolling her over, finishing up astride her, staring down into her eyes with a gaze that was energised with sensual power. Not for the first time Willow was simply amazed, that an experience which should have had Tara all but unable to move had somehow only vitalised her all the more.



"You didn't think I'd forgotten, did you Kitten?" she asked with a sly grin.



"Y-you came so hard, Mistress," Willow replied, wondering how long she could now hold out.



"Yes I did," Tara agreed, "you're amazing, my Kitten, truly amazing..."



"I thought..." Willow hesitated.



"-that I'd leave you unsatisfied?" Tara asked, arching an amused eyebrow.



"When you come, Mistress, I... I'm more than satisfied," Willow said with a loving smile.



"Oh, Kitten," Tara breathed, leaning down to kiss her. It was soft, tender, and Willow was sure it was Tara, not Mistress, kissing her - no-one could kiss so perfectly as Tara, not even Tara assuming a role to play with her.



"That's exactly why I will always give you everything you need," she whispered. Her eyes, staring into Willow's, were deep and liquid for a moment, then she smiled devilishly, her gaze glittered with delight, and Mistress was back.



"You have a climax that belongs to me," she said breathlessly.



"I'm yours, Mistress," Willow replied, equally breathless in anticipation.



"I have one last task for you, my Kitten," Tara continued, "it will be difficult, but it will please your Mistress very much."



"Anything, Mistress," Willow promised.



"I am going to taste you, my precious Kitten," Tara said, leaning down to whisper in Willow's ear, "I am going to take your urgent, throbbing clit in my mouth and lick, and suck... I am going to make love to your little goddess head with my mouth, for so long, every way I can... and I want you to restrain yourself from coming while I do."



Willow was speechless - at this very moment, the mere passage of wafts of air across her moist folds was almost unbearable, tempting her body almost beyond her ability to deny it. And she knew what Tara could do, once her lips closed around her clit... what she most certainly *would* do...



"You may come when you feel my tongue inside you," Tara continued, "but that will not be for some time... this will be so difficult, my Kitten... agonising, even, such a lovely torture. A torment... will you torment yourself for me, my Kitten?"



Willow honestly didn't know if she was capable of it, but before she had even had time to think she heard herself whisper, "Yes Mistress," and Tara was nuzzling at her throat, moving down her neck. She reached out above her and found the headboard, closing her hands tightly around two of the carved wooden columns in it, her preferred position for enduring as long as she could beneath Tara's most ardent ministrations - Tara had teased her now and then that one day she'd break the columns off at the height of her passion.



'If it's ever going to happen, it'll be now,' she thought, steeling herself as Tara reached her breasts, lapping up the cooling juices coating her torso as she went. Her tongue caressed Willow's nipples in passing, but quickly moved lower. Trailing her lips over Willow's stomach, through the soft down of hair above her sex, she wasted no time in encircling her clit with her lips and beginning to apply a maddening suction.



With all her attention fixed on the single goal of resisting her climax, and even that severely endangered by the fervent pleasure radiating from Tara's lips, there was no way in the world Willow could keep from writhing expansively. Her legs lifted on either side of Tara's head, reaching over her shoulders and down her back, where Tara held her with a firm hand on either thigh. Anchored there and by her hands above her, Willow's body undulated ceaselessly, from side to side, arching up, pressing down, as if something inside her were straining to be set free, testing the limits of its confinement with increasing desperation.



For a long while Tara simply sucked, drawing Willow's clit as far into her mouth as she could, keeping up an intense pressure that travelled up inside Willow, tugging her fragile thoughts down into the seething mass of ecstasy that surged in her belly. When Willow was sure she could bear no more Tara began to use her tongue, giving long strokes that drew deep cries from Willow, as if her clit were connected directly to her voice, and every touch Tara bestowed upon her was returned immediately in wanton moans.



Willow knew she was fast approaching the point where all her willpower would be useless, and her body would come whether she allowed it or not. And she knew Tara could feel it approaching too - attuned as they were to each other, the subtlest signs were enough, and nothing in Willow's expressions of pleasure now were even remotely subtle. Willow hoped desperately that Tara would relent before she reached that point, for even in the midst of such intense pleasure, she didn't want to disobey her Mistress, no matter that her Mistress may not even care any more whether she held out. The answer came to her out of nowhere, flashing relief through her fevered mind - Tara would relent the instant Willow could bear no more, and give her permission just as Willow's climax became inevitable. That was part of the game, the Mistress as aware of her Kitten's pleasure as the Kitten of her Mistress - Tara wouldn't make her come without permission, even as she gave every appearance of pushing her beyond her limits.



It was so close now, Willow knew - so close, and Tara's mouth devouring her clit still, showing no sign of moving to deeper pastures. Willow felt a cliff approaching, knowing she could neither slow her advance, nor fly once the ground fell from beneath her. Tara sucked deeply on her - she sped up, staring wildly into the sky, carried towards the end of the world. Tara's tongue wrapped around her clit, circling her - she felt the endless space in front of her, the end of all things. Tara's teeth grazed against her, holding her in a fiery embrace - she felt herself begin to fall.



And Tara - waited, still loving Willow's clit as the ground ran out, as her climax became stronger than her will. For a moment Willow simply didn't understand, couldn't understand that she was going to fail her Mistress, her Tara... but then, in the moment when she should have felt fear at the plunge from the cliff's edge, she realised she had not yet come, some final, ultimate power held her in check, held her to Mistress's wish, and instead of falling she soared into the air, feeling the air caress every inch of her naked body.



*Then* Tara dipped down and delved her tongue into Willow's dripping sex, and in Willow's bliss-soaked mind the entire world burst like a soap bubble, coating her with a mist in which every tiny droplet of moisture was a climax beyond mortal comprehension. Tara held her firm, mouth sealed over her sex, as she screamed and writhed and thrust and gushed through spasm after spasm of intense pleasure. For her too, the world was gone - all that existed was her and Willow, their love wrapped around them, giving them air to breathe, warmth and light to live, the ground beneath them and the sky above them.



She kept her lips on Willow's sex long after her last orgasm had subsided, gently licking at every tender fold, gathering its bounty of moisture, pleasing with infinite tenderness, without disturbing the flushed, sensitised flesh beneath her. When she finally crawled up Willow's body, tugging a blanket over them both, she met her lover's gaze and found such a blessing there that her heart swelled to fill the boundaries of their world.



"Willow," she whispered.



"Tara," Willow replied, sound barely passing over her lips. Tara brought her lips to Willow's, and they kissed.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



"'My world burst like a bubble'," Tara read, as Willow finished the page a few paragraphs lower down.



"Uh-huh," Willow nodded, giving a little flourish of her quill to underline the end of the passage. Absorbed in her writing she hadn't noticed Tara's eyes open, until she had sat up and cuddled up to her side, her hand reaching beneath the blankets to carry on a slow, sensual caress of her inner thighs, and finally her sex, never becoming so urgent as to interfere with her writing, but promising much for later.



"So, you really liked my, um, smoothness down below?" she asked with a grin.



"Oh, yeah!" Willow enthused. "Not that I didn't like how you were before either, but, if you were thinking of staying like this a while...?"



"A while," Tara nodded, "I wouldn't want to deny you your favourite little nuzzle-spot too long, but... this *is* definitely stimulating."



"It doesn't itch, does it?" Willow asked, a worried frown creasing her brow.



"Oh, no," Tara assured her, "I have a lotion that keeps the skin from getting irritated... it's actually not uncommon for warriors to keep their bodies hairless like this."



"Yeah?" Willow asked, surprised.



"Yup," Tara confirmed, "some feel more sleek, or more able to feel the world on their skin. I'm not sure how many actually go into combat without wearing skirts or underwear," she grinned, "but I guess it's more psychological than anything else in any case... I never felt the need for training, but when it comes to pleasing my Kitten, that's another story."



"Thank you," Willow said, kissing the top of Tara's head. "And thank Mistress for me, when you see her."



"Would you like to see her again sometime?" Tara asked. "I enjoyed that game, a lot."



"Me too," Willow nodded, "I'd love that."



"One thing," Tara said, tilting her head back to look up at Willow, "next time..."



"Next time?" Willow prompted.



"Can I be the Kitten?"



Willow's eyes lit up with surprise, closely followed by delight and arousal.



"I've got some crowns stashed away," she mused, "payment for a few odd jobs Myrreon's passed on to me, that my magic's been suited to. Do you think, maybe, a little expedition to this clothes shop of yours might be in order?"



"I think it might," Tara agreed, "I'm not busy tomorrow afternoon..."



"I can take an afternoon off," Willow offered.



"I'll meet you by the training field for lunch, and shopping," Tara smiled. "Actually... you know, it wasn't *just* clothes they had..."



-----

Chris Cook

alia.customer.netspace.net.au/glass.htm

Through the Looking-glass: A Willow and Tara for every world.

Edited by: Artemis at: 7/26/04 11:53 am


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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:30 pm 
Hey Chris -

We have a saying in America, ok maybe it's Texas, ok maybe just Austin, ok maybe just me. Are you familiar with the phrase: "Holy Fucking Shit!!!" Wow and wow again. That was amazingly hot! I love the whole Mistress/Kitten genre (gee, do you think that's a no-shiter?) and you do a great job of it here. I particularly love the imagery of Kitten racing toward the edge of the cliff and falling over but waiting for Mistress's permission. Totally hot and amazing.



And of course, thank you so much for the mention in your disclaimers. I'm honored to be, well, so honored. Debra

Go Lance!

MoveOn.Org

American Civil Liberities Union



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 Post subject: Holy shit!!!
PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:11 pm 
christ... that was fucking fantastic chris... i give it :drool :drool :drool :drool , :thud :thud , and :jaw for high ranking in my smut infested mind... can't wait for u do do another one... oooo willow as mistress and tara as kitten now thats would be very steamy... lots of :punish for those two...





-reds:willow

my banana dances for smut :banana



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:00 pm 
My apologies for this extremely short feedback but if I don’t write _something_ now.. I probably never will. I have been trying to come up with feedback for this truly magnificent epic fic for a long while now but so far everything I’ve written doesn’t quite seem to express the extent of admiration I have for your many creative talents. You’ve done such a beautiful job with words that it was easy to visualize each scene being played out in vivid Technicolor. The accompanying maps, wallpapers and such you’ve provided are an especially nice bonus! Thank you for providing me with many pleasurable hours of reading and know that I’m definitely looking forward to Hellebore Part 2. In the meantime.. can I just say.. thank you for the new short story and.. Gulp!



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:39 pm 
Oh Dear God! Chris, I totally agree with every Debra (the Queen Mistress of all things smutty) said. Besides that, if I still smoked, I think I would be needing a cigarette right now.



Between you and Debra, I can honestly say, nobody does it better than you two! I would bow before you two, but I'm afraid of what might happen to me. :D



More soon?



Wimpy

"There was plenty of magic." ~ Tara

Edited by: wimpy0729 at: 7/26/04 11:53 pm


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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:22 am 
Chris,



Holy Jesus, Tara as Mistress is hot. I am so happy you're doing some follow up parts. I look forward to more. Hot, hot hot!



:peace

-pipsberg



"We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that."

Michael Cunningham, The Hours



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:22 pm 
Well Chris, I want you to know that a little while ago, I sat down and read all of Hellebore in two very long sittings, and I found it to be an excellent story. Lately I've been spending almost as much time on your sites as I do on Pens. As a matter of fact, Hellebore inspired me to rev up Diablo II again and play some new characters.



And now this little short story. I assure you, it was a fitting tribute to Debra and the original writer of Kittenage.



The only reason that I'm so articulate here is that I read your short story yesterday and have since calmed down.

It's insulting to the whole gender[sic] of rap.



~Eminem



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:51 pm 
Holy Crap!!!!!!! Just..... just...... HOLY CRAP!!!



Articulate, ain't I. :bigwave







My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. -Erma Bombeck



Edited by: TromDeGrey at: 7/27/04 2:51 pm


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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 4:06 pm 
OMG!! I'm so not letting Debra have dibs on "Holy Fucking Shit!!!" Because that was... that was just... HFS that was amazing! You know for a guy, you sure got the whole lesbian lovin' thing DOWN! :thud



-shuyaku

Oh God, Willow—you’re giving me the gift of Karen Carpenter. Just when I think I grasp the full extent of your love." - Tara

"Why do birds suddenly appear? It’s because, you are queer…" - Willow (Gods Served and Abandoned by AntigoneUnbound)



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:40 pm 


Your whole fanfic is pure art !!!!!!!!!

~ Sharleen ~



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 1:32 am 
Thanks to you all for your feedback; it makes it all worthwhile. Not that writing stories isn't a neat-o way to pass the time on its own merits, but now and then - usually when the right words are sulking at the back of my mind and refusing to come out without more work - it's good to know it's all for a good cause, that of entertaining Kittens.



I haven't got a solid plan on when the next Hellebore short story will be along, but it should be sometime in the next couple of months. It will be called 'Day by Day'.



And I've decided I will go ahead, sooner or later, and write a quick adventure for Lady Lindia (she of the leather pants and tendency to swashbuckle). Like 'Into the Woods', the short story I wrote for Halloween, it won't feature Willow and Tara, but it'll be part of the Hellebore world. Thus, it won't be posted to the Kitten board, but I'll make sure to post a link to it when it's done, most likely in the introduction to whichever Willow/Tara Hellebore story I'm posting at the time. So hopefully that'll be something else to look forward to :)



Debra: Thanks :) It means a lot coming from you in particular than you enjoyed this little story, seeing as it was inspired by Please, all that time ago when I wrote the first version. I did do a thorough re-write just before posting, and basically everything from Tara revealing her new clothes has changed - over the later chapters of Hellebore I think I got a bit freer with imagery, like that clifftop one you mentioned. I don't know where that came from, it certainly wasn't planned :)



WickedReds: Thanks. Well, I can't say exactly when more Kitten action will occur (or rather, when I'll write it down - I imagine Willow and Tara will continue playing Mistress and Kitten now and then whenever the mood takes them). It's possible there'll be more in 'Day by Day', though that won't be the sole purpose of that story, as it was here.



Kajun: Thank you :) I'm glad you enjoyed Hellebore, and The Outfit, and the supplemental material I worked up along the way. All of those were really rewarding to create. Planning for the sequel Children of the Reckoning is coming along nicely; interesting ideas keep turning up, and now and then a solution to a difficult piece of plotting will coincidentally turn up in some other idea, which I find is always a good sign.



Wimpy: Thanks :) No, there's no danger to be had around me, I'm definitely not the type to be wielding a riding crop. I can't speak for Debra, of course :)



Pipsberg: Thanks, and I agree, Mistress Tara is hot! :) That's why I wrote this in the first place; I have no doubt Willow would be hot as well, which is why they're going to play both ways, but I had to choose one of them for this first time, and there was no contest for me :)



Tempest Duer: Thanks :) I ended up replaying Diablo II plenty of times while I was writing Hellebore - sadly no longer, thanks to an uncooperative CD drive, but it's not so bad, I've played every part of the game quite thoroughly now, and gotten as far as I think I'll ever go (finished Normal and Nightmare with a level 73 Assassin). Now whenever I get the craving for some Diablo action I just write it :)



TromDeGrey: That's okay, I get what you mean. Thanks :)



Shuyaku: Thank you. I sometimes wonder where I get all this from, as you mention it's certainly not from experience of lesbian love :) I guess it just comes from reading an *enormous* amount of Xena, Voyager and Willow/Tara fanfic.



Sharleen: Thanks :)



Chris Cook

alia.customer.netspace.net.au/glass.htm

Through the Looking-glass: A Willow and Tara for every world.



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 9:42 am 
It must be something in the water down here Deb...



Because "Holy Fucking Shit!!!" came to mind pretty fast...



Well...



As soon as the mind started to function again...



Love ya Chris, but geez...



:drool :thud :jaw :thud :drool



Sincerely,

:flower BWR

***

If homosexuals dont reproduce, why are there so many of them?-Jim David



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:29 pm 
:thud :thud :thud :thud :thud :thud :thud



between that and the entire 'hellebore' fic im surprised someone hasnt died of a heart attack yet!! soooo hot!!



~mel:wave

Willow: It's horrible! That's me as a vampire? I'm so evil and... skanky. And I think I'm kinda gay.

Buffy: Willow, just remember, a vampire's personality has nothing to do with the person it was



Sure it doesn't



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 10:24 am 
yeah umm wow Holy Fucking Shit uhh yeah Wow



Great use of imagry there I mean I felt like I was actually watcxhng this take place as I read it you umm just wow

*goes off to smoke





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 Post subject: Day by Day - a Hellebore short story (day one)
PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 11:08 am 
BWR, Mel & Arron: Thanks to each of you :) I'm glad to have provided an enjoyable little bit of W/T hotness, and I hope I continue to do so (not right away, but trust me, soon).



And now without further ado:



Day by Day (a Hellebore short story)



Author: Chris Cook

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Willow and Tara go about their lives - learning, working, playing and loving - one day at a time.

Spoilers: None.

Copyright: Based on characters from 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer', created by Joss Whedon, and 'Diablo II', created by Blizzard Entertainment. All original material is copyright 2004 Chris Cook.

Feedback: Please. Here, or to alia@netspace.net.au



Note: This short story takes place three months or so after the end of 'Hellebore', and a few weeks after 'The Outfit'.



--

Day One

--



17th day of Saleht, afternoon, penned by Willow of the Zann Esu:



And I do mean 'penned', as in I'm not using a quill. Which is just as well, seeing as I'm currently sitting half-way up a crowded stand of spectators watching a jousting tournament, so there's nowhere I could put an inkwell anyway where it wouldn't just get knocked over. I've seen jousting before and it's not really my thing and there's no-one I know in the stands to talk to - Zan was going to be here, but he changed his plans a couple of days ago - so I figured this morning that this would be the perfect opportunity to a) try out this nifty self-inking pen thing a friend of Myrreon's at the university thought up, and b) start a new journal.



I actually meant to sooner, seeing as our old journal ran out of pages last week - I've never gone through one so quickly! Then again Tara wrote just as much as I did, not to mention lending her talents at creating wonderfully realistic sketches whenever the occasion demanded; and she has a way of ferreting out all manner of interesting people and places in this big, busy city we're currently calling home. So all in all it should come as no surprise that we filled up the last journal in double-quick time - evidence of a very rewarding life, I'd say.



Just between you and me, journal - and Tara, when you read this later as I'm sure you will (I love you!) - our 'private journal' filled up equally quickly, and the memories held snugly between its covers are far more than merely 'rewarding'.



So we come to this, the beginning of a new chapter of our lives. Although a chapter is part of a book, whereas this is a whole one - so shall we say a new book of our lives? That works. And this being a new book, and my journal-keeping of the past week having suffered for not having any spare pages to keep a journal on, it seems fitting I should jot down the salient points of the present.



So, point the first: today is the beginning of a week of festivities in the grand city of Duncraig, to celebrate the end of the winter. And let me tell you, I'm celebrating right along with them! The temperature, by and large, remained somewhere above freezing, but honestly you wouldn't have guessed it, considering the storms that lashed the city these past weeks. Rain, sleet, hail, not to mention winds the like of which they'd be scared witless of up on the steppes below the Kae Huron mountains - and wide eaves and umbrellas aren't much help against horizontal rain. Even for city-dwellers, somewhat removed from the rural cycle of the seasons, the coming of spring deserves a party and no mistake.



Point the second: tomorrow I officially finish my studies with Myrreon. I say 'officially' because he's been a very generous master, allowing me time to work on my own projects or study with other mages when it seemed prudent not to delay. In fact I've spent half of the past month - when I haven't been curled up in front of a roaring fire with Tara - in the university working with the professor of elemental magic, and the associate professor of primal energy (I haven't been able to discovery yet where his professor is, only that he's on some kind of working holiday in Khanduras that, depending on who you talk to in the faculty, may have been going on for as long as three years). But I confess, I'll feel a moment's regret when I finally come to pack up my things from Myrreon's workshop and move on. Not that I won't be allowed to visit, of course, and Tara and I will still be living in the Palace, and thus be able to drop in whenever we want, but... well, you know how I am.



Point the third: the day after that, the Amazon mission will be finally heading home. I'm quite sure I'll share my beloved's sadness at seeing them leave, despite that they're her people, while I've only been an Amazon (technically speaking) for a couple of months, and it's not like I grew up with them. But for all the time I've known Tara - which is to say, the happiest time of my life - Tryptin and the merchant emissaries and diplomats have been around, and have made me feel very welcome among them. I'll miss Tryptin very much in particular. Not that I ever had a brother, but if I had to imagine one, I wouldn't ask for better. And Melcan, of course, though I have a feeling he'll be missing Lissa a sight more than me or Tara (the poor boy's got something of a crush on her, unless I'm mistaken - pity she's a good six years older than him, but I'm sure it'll wear off once he gets home and starts mingling with some Amazon girls his own age. He is sweet, though).



That seems to cover everything, insofar as the notable events of the moment go. Now that I come to think of it, it seems fortuitous that I'll have finished my 'formal' period of studying just before the Amazons head home. I can't help but worry that Tara will feel a little more homesick, without the benefit of her fellow Amazons being around. She talks so fondly of her home, that if it weren't for the delight she finds in exploring new places and discovering their unique charms, I'd feel inclined to just forget our whole loosely-planned trip through Westmarch, and just go home with her right now. But that wouldn't be fair to either of us - I know she looks forward to seeing the rest of this realm as much as I do. And even though I'm technically-speaking the experienced traveller - one thing about Ember, she never stays still long (I worked out once that if you added up all the distance we'd travelled together, it'd be enough to go all the way around the world and back again, which boggles the mind) - it seems to me that Tara has the advantage of me in terms of being able to adapt to living in different, unfamiliar places. It's as if she carries part of her home with her, so that she's never without it.



That said, I'm glad my study schedule will, after tomorrow, be such that I'll be able to take days off whenever I want, all things being equal, and I intend to take advantage of that, and see that if Tara ever feels lonely, I'll be right beside her ready to give her a big, comforting hug (or more, depending on how public the place is).



I've just been partially deafened by a rousing cheer from my fellow spectators, and I see that the most recent de-horsing by lance-point (at least they have the sense to use hollow lances that splinter rather than skewering their targets) signals the end of the jousting tournament for the moment. It's traditional for all manner of contests to be held during the festival week, jousting among them - you may have gathered - but I'm not just here because I get good seats on account of being a guest at the Palace. Given a few minutes for the marshals to clear up the course the jousting run will be the scene of the mounted archery competition, in which my gorgeous Tara is a competitor.



And Anji, of course, there wouldn't be much point entering a mounted archery contest without a horse. Anji's heavy by the contest's standards, Tara told me earlier that most of the entrants - who've been practising down at the barracks - ride light little horses, but she decided she'd do better with a horse she knew well. The course is a loop, up and down the run, and the archers are allowed to fire at the targets (three of them, set up on the opposite side of the run to the spectator stand) at any point between the beginning of their run and its completion, even during the turn, but they're timed, as well as graded by the accuracy of their shots - so it doesn't pay to dawdle.



All the contestants are keeping their individual plans 'close to their chests', so Tara tells me, but I suppose seeing as I'm often close to her chest it's okay for me to know her plans. Apparently the common thing to do is to take a wide circle at the far end of the run, to give the rider time to steady him or herself, grab the reins, then get ready to fire again as they come back up to the fence, where the shot to the targets is easiest. I can imagine the need to concentrate on riding during the turn - I'm no longer a novice when it comes to riding, but making a turn like that is something I'd only personally do if Tara was right behind me holding me tight. Tara's plan is to take Anji in at a gallop, let her take the turn as tight as she can, and only take her bow off the targets long enough to switch sides during the turn.



This means she'll have to hang on just with her legs and sense of balance. Now I know how strong those thighs of hers are (first-hand experience), and her balance is second to none (likewise - her inventiveness during intimate moments never fails to surprise me; and by all the gods I hope no-one's reading this over my shoulder), but I've seen Anji do tight turns. She's a warhorse, after all, used to close quarters and having to turn on a crown piece (in the middle of a melee, no less). Honestly, if Tara wasn't so confident she can make it without falling off, I think I'd be a nervous wreck.



Trumpet's sounding, here they come.








Gotta go! A certain Amazon richly deserves being kissed witless the moment the presentation ceremony is over.








17th of Saleht, evening, scribed by Tara of the Amazons:



She did, too - lovable sorceress o' mine.



Normally Willow, being the conscientious reporter of all manner of facts that she is, would be writing a more complete description of the horse archery contest. However she's taken it upon herself at this point to perform a deep and thorough massage of my legs, just to keep any soreness from developing as a result of today's riding activities. So it falls to me to record the day's events as my thighs are lovingly massaged. Woe is me. Hmmmm. Excuse me if my writing is a little less legible than usual, but she's really good at this. And roving extensively as well. I can't quite imagine why my upper back should need a massage, but complaining is absolutely the last thing on my mind.



Now, where had we gotten to? Ah yes, archery. Our order of competition was determined by the adjudicators, which resulted in Fredriks, one of the Duke's scouts, going first in our final group, followed by Jonoh, a young boy who'd obviously come in from far outside the city, then Bengel, another scout (a distant relation of Sergeant Sheerson's, I discovered), then Lady Lindia, and finally myself. We five, apparently, were the entrants expected to perform well, while the others, a dozen or so slated to ride before us, were not regarded as serious chances for victory. They were good - I noted what seemed to me to be military training in a couple of them - but I knew I could better their scores. Fredricks and Bengel I hadn't met before, but the reputation of the Duke's scout company spoke for their skill - and Lindia's, who has after all led the company in battle now and then. Jonoh I wasn't sure about. He was very young, but he and his pony seemed to think with one mind - indeed, he seemed to only hold the reins out of habit. His bow too gave me an idea he would be a serious contender, as I could see it was not made by any of the city workshops whose work I knew. Yet it was a quality weapon, and my guess from how he handled it was that he had made it himself.



Fredricks scored quite highly, coaxing a little more speed from his mount than I'd have guessed and placing his shots well - two bullseyes, though on one of his other four shots he misjudged. Barring incident his score wouldn't be a winning one, though I don't doubt that his captain would be more than pleased with his skill.



Jonoh managed a phenomenal round, and earned the crowd's admiration instantly. The boy's eye for archery is quite remarkable in one so young - if I didn't know better I'd say he was Amazon trained. There's subtle differences in his style, if you know what you're looking for, but by what I saw, I believe trial and error has taught him some of the techniques our archers have been learning for generations. In particular he has the vital ability to focus completely - as I thought he knew his mount so well that the riding was second nature to him, and my guess is that guiding her around the course and staying in the saddle took no more concentration than drawing breath. His score was twenty points clear of Fredricks, and earned a roar of applause from the crowd which he accepted with shy grace.



Bengel did better than his fellow scout, but still fell fifteen points short of Jonoh's mark. He didn't quite have the accuracy of either of the previous competitors, his arrows tending to land in the second ring, outside the bullseye, but he was very consistent and never made a wide miss - valuable for a soldier.



Lady Lindia rode next, and surprised spectators and fellow competitors alike. But, that is a habit of hers: never doing anything the ordinary way when she can stand out and turn some heads. She and her charger, Daredevil, rode out fast, and I thought for a moment that she had made a rare mistake, and misjudged her approach, for as she bore down on the end of the central fence she was getting closer, not moving out to give herself room to turn. She seemed unconcerned nonetheless, firing three shots, quickly but unhurried, taking the instant she needed with each to place it close to the centre of each target - two outright bullseyes and one close.



As she reached the end of the fence I imagined I'd see her realise her mistake and rein in to take the turn slowly, sacrificing some time in order to give herself a chance of completing her run with good scores for accuracy, rather than persisting in attempting a turn that was simply too tight, and end up off balance as she rode back - even I wouldn't be able to find a bullseye an inch wide if I were struggling to remain in the saddle. My heart leapt into my throat as Daredevil reared up, twisting around in mid-air - I couldn't imagine what had caused him to rear, but his action was so severe it looked as though he might fall over backwards, with a real danger Lindia could be badly hurt if she didn't get out of the way before they both fell. The crowd too feared for her, gasps could be heard from the stands, people were on their feet. For a split-second my eyes went to the boundary fence, where the nearest spectators stood, and found Kilal, Lindia's current belle, a dark-skinned Aranoch horsewoman here to compete in the steeplechase. Far from being concerned for her lover, she was grinning - and that was when I realised the Lady was pulling yet another of her famed unforgettable stunts.



Instead of falling backwards, Daredevil somehow reared around, getting his fore-hooves down in front of himself as his back legs kicked out, and in the space of a heartbeat he had gone from thundering down the run to racing back, faster than any horse could have wheeled around in the usual manner. I was, I admit, lost in admiration for Lindia's horsemanship (horsewomanship?), the skill it took to train Daredevil such a manoeuvre, and the trust she had in the horse to allow him to do it while she was on his back - risking being crushed if they fell. I barely noticed the three arrows she loosed on her return run, another bullseye and two more close hits. The crowd roared its approval, of her bravery and skill, and again when she leaned down to Kilal and shared a quite shameless kiss.



So came my turn. While Lindia had been acknowledging the crowd and riding back in I'd spent a moment talking to Anji, feeling her mood and letting her sense mine. She felt calm, in spite of all the noise of the crowd - though now that I think of it, being a warhorse she's hardly of a nature to be spooked by a bit of an uproar. But it was good to talk to her regardless; as in my first run, I'd essentially be leaving the riding to her, and concentrating exclusively on aiming. And no matter how confident you may feel, that just isn't something your instincts will let you do wholeheartedly unless you know you can trust your steed.



I didn't want to keep everyone waiting so I mounted up as soon as I felt we were both ready. As before I left the reins across the saddlehorn and walked Anji out onto the field with just a little prompting from my legs



-Lucky horse!



Don't worry sweetie, you'll get your turn. Honestly, the cheek of the woman, stealing the quill in the middle of my journal entry...



Where was I? Oh yes, riding out. Having watched the previous runs I knew where the targets were, and I had a fair idea of the route Anji would take around the central fence - so all that was left to me to do was to aim and fire, which I've trained at for the better part of my life. I shouldn't risk making it seem easy, because it wasn't - concentrating on visualising the arrow's path through the air, all while atop a speeding horse, and with the wind gusting back and forth, makes for a tricky series of shots. And though I'd hardly consider myself a performer to any great degree, I do have to admit it was daunting to think of following Lindia's heart-stopping performance.



Still, my spirits couldn't help but be lifted at the sight of Tryptin and Melcan standing among the crowd at the fence, applauding as I rode out - I'd thought they'd be all day at the javelin contests, as Tryptin's fiancée is known for her mastery of the weapon, and Tryptin appreciates the art in using it from being around her, even though he doesn't wield it himself. But of course, as I found out later, he made sure to find out when the horse archery would be held, and be present.



And then my eyes lifted to the stands, where I knew my Willow would be, and saw her on her feet, cheering and waving. Do you know, she grows more beautiful every day? It's the honest truth. And all the small worries I'd harboured about competing and my technique were swept away by seeing the pride written on her face, her smile. I wouldn't say I'm a competitive person by nature, but I was resolved then to win a golden wreath for my Willow. I hadn't been taking the competition lightly before by any means, but suddenly I wanted to win. Lindia, I suspect, had lifted herself above the standard even she had truly expected of herself, out of her innate - and endless - desire to do her best, no matter what it was she turned her hand to. Now I felt the same desire, only for a different reason.



That, then, left me with the dilemma: how? I had only seconds to decide - unless I was to stop and wait a moment at the start of the course while I thought, but that didn't seem entirely in keeping with the spectacle of the contest. But as it turned out I needed no time, the answer came to me at once, and luckily the few seconds I had to think weren't enough for me to fully consider how crazy it was. As I urged Anji to the pace we had practised, I quickly reached to my second quiver - counting myself fortunate I'd kept it attached to the saddle out of habit, rather than stripping off all the non-essentials for the contest - and drew a practice arrow, slipping it loosely through the harness strap across my chest, just enough to keep it from falling.



-Excuse me, I have to interrupt my beloved here: it simply doesn't do justice to Tara's appearance to just say 'she rode out' and leave it at that. She was, and is, a goddess in the flesh - proud and determined atop her mount, unmistakeably commanding in her every movement and gesture, and dare I say it, the immediate object of desire of every man and that-way-inclined woman present that day. Her golden hair, tied back in a loose ponytail, flying out behind her, her eyes flashing as they fixed on the targets, her lean form glowing in the sun, bare thighs and arms glistening with just the tiniest layer of sweat, her leathers tight around her, formidable and entrancing. Goddess, it makes me wet just to think of her.



I know sweetie, I can feel you on my back, and don't think you're the only one getting heated in this position. I let her 'borrow' the quill, incidentally, only because she's quite able to massage my lower back with her thighs. And suddenly, I imagine when I re-read this passage, the archery won't be the only remarkable memory it stirs in me.



As I said, I had formed a daring plan. Lindia had the advantage of speed over every other competitor who had already ridden today, and I admit, over me as well. The rearing turn she and Daredevil pulled off was impossible to match, no matter how tightly I rode Anji around, and there was no possibility that I could duplicate the turn itself - it would have needed weeks of practise to perfect, and I had seconds, not weeks. So her speed was unbeatable; her accuracy, too, was no easy mark - three bullseyes out of her six shots, and the other three close to the centres as well. I was confident I could match that - but could I exceed it enough to overtake her speed advantage?



I took the first three shots exactly as I had planned, quickly but not hurried, feeling content in the smooth motions of my arms as I aimed, fired, drew and nocked a new arrow. Anji was fairly flying along, but I was used to her pace. I saw two bullseyes out of those first three shots, the third very close, possibly a fraction better than Lindia's close miss on her outward leg. But the outward leg is the easier of the two, at least for a right-handed archer - being astride Anji as she rode put my left side towards the targets, just as I would stand if I were firing from the ground. The return leg, when I would have to twist around in the saddle to bring my arrows to bear, would be a far greater challenge.



Anji knew how to take the course on her own, from our hours of practising - I felt the familiar shift in her weight as she leaned into the turn, and I too leaned, helping her balance herself. And it was now that I took my risk, trusting my instincts and Anji completely to keep myself in the saddle, while my attention remained solely on the targets. Unless a rider goes out slowly, too slowly to score well, there is only time for three shots on the outward leg and three on the return - any more and an archer would have no time to aim, and would be firing blind. But the daring notion I had had was: what if one were to fire during the turn?



This was no easy shot, which is why I had selected a practise arrow for the task - and why I was suddenly glad that I take the time to make my own arrows, for making a shot such as this required complete familiarity with my weapon, such as I could never have with a bought arrow without having already fired it, which in turn would weaken it. Also, though the practise arrow would fly slower, its spiralling flights would stabilise it - I could never have made a 'straight' shot from my position, leaning half out of the saddle, but a shot angled upwards, to arc down into the target, was possible.



Even so, I wholly believed I had miscalculated as I fired. My attention never wavered, but the reality of my posture - trying as I was to aim and stay in the saddle at the same time, as Anji turned sharply - was that I ended up holding my bow almost sideways, and drawing its string very loosely from below, almost pushing the string back across the line of my body, in a manner which no archer in their right mind would attempt if they wanted their arrow to go anywhere near the target, let alone the bullseye. Frankly, had the target range not been enclosed on both sides by stout wooden walls, and clear of spectators, I never would have let go the string. But let go I did, feeling for a split second - in spite of my awkward posture and the contorted way I held my bow - that I had a chance.



I had no time to even watch where the arrow went, besides noting with some satisfaction that it was headed in the right direction, for Anji was already coming out of her turn and I had to draw for my next shot. I was still fixed on the nearest target from my wild shot, and so found it no hardship to send my next arrow into its centre. The second I missed by a fraction, as I shifted my focus from one target to the next, but the third shot, I was pleased to see, also found its bullseye.



It was a respectable score, I knew, but considering Lindia's achievement a moment ago it didn't seem to warrant the enormous cheer I received, and for a moment I was utterly confused. I looked over the heads of the crowd at once, searching for Willow, and my eyes found her scrambling down the stand, glowing with excitement - that was when I realised I must have done something remarkable. As she disappeared momentarily from view I turned my attention back to the targets, and saw what had provoked such a reaction. From the furthest of the three targets, three arrows stood - the one I had placed close to the centre on my outward run, the bullseye I had scored coming back, and the third was the practice arrow I had fired all but blindly, and it too was in the bullseye.



I have no idea - Willow's kissing my neck, so excuse me if my writing is a little shaky... perhaps a lot - I have no idea what combination of chance and the blessings of the gods and goddesses contrived to put that arrow there, but I felt an elation such as I have rarely known in any pursuit other than that of pleasing my beloved wife-to-be.



And speaking of her loveliness, there she was not a moment later, working her way through the crowd, ducking under the wooden railing separating the spectator area from the jousting run, the guards letting her by after a glance at me to see that I knew her, and wanted her to come to me. I dismounted quickly, patting Anji's cheek and telling her how well she had done, but already my mind was filled with the single thought of wrapping my arms around my gorgeous girl. As I took a step forward to meet her, my only reservation was whether I would kiss her the way I wanted to, with several hundred people watching - I have no problem expressing my love in public, but this kiss I had in mind was not by any means a kiss I'd normally let anyone else see.



Luckily for me



-and me!



Yes, luckily for both of us, Anji made the decision for me by leaning forward and nudging me gently in the back with her nose, just as Willow was in hugging range. I took a step forward to balance, and all of a sudden we were together, her arms were around me, mine around her, and we kissed...



...such a kiss as makes me wonder what miraculous sprite wets Willow's lips with dew from some enchanted flower, for I swear on my honour, I cannot imagine how, after all this time and all the kisses we've shared, one can still be so precious, so special, so new - as if we'd never kissed before, and suddenly all the wonder I'd never known in the world was pressed against my lips.



The most honest words I can find to describe that feeling are that her kiss made me feel naked, as if the entire world - everything but her and I - were swept away, as if a great wave had risen up out of the ocean and crashed over us, swept us out to sea, submerged us in some whirlpool of passion where we were tossed around, tumbled over and over until we were dizzy, but always, always together, inseparable - naked and open, completely, to each other, while untouchable to the rest of creation.



Those kisses, which are never far from our lives, and always remind me how blessed I am... words can't do them justice. But I've tried, if only for the sake of completeness, for it's quite impossible that I'd ever need a journal entry to remind me - how could I ever forget in the first place?



And now I find myself preparing to set my quill aside. This day draws to a very pleasant close, and I intend to see that the night exceeds it in that regard.



In closing, as my Willow would say: Note to self, give Anji a big treat tomorrow, she's earned it twice over.



Tara of the Amazons, concluding this entry of the seventeenth day of Saleht.

Chris Cook

Through the Looking-glass

A Willow and Tara for every world.



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 Post subject: Re: FIC: Hellebore short story 'The Outfit'
PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 11:57 am 
Chris.. that was a beautiful, well written... Hell I'm still riveted from the descriptions of this archery contest... hell i could see it happen in my head... Oh its just hilarious that willow keep on stealing the quill from tara.. i got a good :laugh from it.. anyways hope u have more fun in store for our girls.. (hopefully it smutty) can't wait for more...



-reds:willow



my banana dances for smut :banana



Tara in a wet shirt, Tara in a wet shirt. Tara in. A. Wet. Shirt. “Of course.”-Willow From Remember to Breath By Yellow Crayon



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 Post subject: Re: Day by Day - a Hellebore short story (day one)
PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 3:16 pm 
Hi :wave



It is a real pleasure to see a new chapter of Hellebore posted. I missed your amazon Tara and sorceress Willow and I'm still crossing my fingers for you to write a sequel to Hellebore sometime soon :wink



I thought it was funny and at the same time sweet the way Willow kept stealing the quill from Tara to add her own comments to the journal. It reminded me of the playfull relationship they always had in Hellebore that was one of their charms. Your description of the archery contest and Tara's performance was as always beautifully detailed :applause



I hope to read more of hellebore sometime soon :bounce




"I know I was born and I know that I'll die.

The in between is mine.

I am mine!" - Pearl Jam



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 Post subject: bullseye
PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 8:24 pm 
That was really sweet. :heart



The description of the action was great; very detailed, yet the details didn't overwhelm. Definitely felt like I could see each archer's round, and I really like how "collaborative" Tara's entry was. Willow's inserted comments were breathless and Willow-y. (Sidenote, lower back massage as applied by thighs? Niiiice.)



I'm heartened. New journal. That means lots of new adventures, right? :flirt Let me know if the girls need a new "lovin'" journal too, I have a few blank ones laying around that I'd be *more* than happy to share! Great job, Chris.



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 Post subject: Re: Day by Day - a Hellebore short story (day one)
PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 12:29 am 
Love the short fics. I just love W/T in this setting. The set up at the castle is just perfect for short stories. A great mix of love and life.

_____________________

I still see dead lesbian cliches



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 Post subject: Re: a little late...
PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 12:27 pm 
Yeah, I know I know.. it's been some time since you "finished" Hellbore, but I made a longer break from this story because I didn't wanted it to end.

But yesterday evening I needed some very good distraction from real life and Hellebore was just the perfect thing.



Just wanted to tell you that the story is awesome. Really good idea, great plot, lovely and/or absolutely hot love-scenes.



I really hope you will start to write the sequel real soon. I want to know how they will deal on the Amazonian-Islands. I want to see their house *sigh*.



Vogelscheuche

(AKA Insanity)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's always sudden", Tara

German Fanfiction





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 Post subject: Re: The Hellebore series (currently: 'Day by Day')
PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 1:31 pm 
yay for the continuation of one of the best fics on this board...i LOVED hellebore and i LOVE the journal entrie idea...its a different perspective thats for sure...and i thought it was hysterical how during taras entry willow kept stealing the quill and making her own comments...absolutely great!!



~mel:kdevil

'The Cat in the Hat' is fine, just not during sex.--Alyson Hannigan



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 Post subject: Re: a little late too...
PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 11:54 am 
thanks Chris for not stopping to write about the beloved Amazon and sorceress and their adventures!!

I hope there're many more tales to tell.... can't wait for the next one!



bb sam







Sam's World - Sam's Meloldy

Resistance is futile - Love will conquer!



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 Post subject: Re: The Hellebore series (currently: 'Day by Day')
PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 9:46 am 
I liked that their writing styles are so recognisable. Esp. some paragraphs Willow wrote before the match are soooo typical :)



The invention of the ballpen has occured early I see, heh. I do wonder how long Willow and Tara intend to travel around Westmarch. As Willow noted Tara likes her homeland very much and looks forward to returning to it. Granted, having Willow by her side does compensate some of that feeling probably :lol .



I suppose Tara wont continue being an instructor when they travel around Westmarch. Then again, they're well respected now so finding a place to sleep/eat shouldn't be too much of a problem.



Also liked how Willow inserted some of her comments when Tara was writing. Very Willow-like to comment on Tara's appearance :)



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine



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 Post subject: Re: a little late too...
PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:25 am 
I really meant to write this short story a lot quicker than I have so far... my apologies to all you Kittens who've been left hanging with just the first chapter. I kind of forgot just how tricky it is to write first-person stories, but I promise there'll be an update soon, just as soon as I've got the last chapter of Finding Miss Kitty done.



In the meantime, thank you to all of you who've left feedback, and I'm grovellingly sorry that it's taken me this long just to reply :punish



WickedReds: I do indeed have more in store for Willow and Tara - the complete story will cover seven days, so six chapters to go. And though I'm hoping to cover all sorts of things... yep, the next one is going to be smutty :)



Sabina: I've missed the Amazon and the sorceress too - there's plenty more stories to tell about them, so don't worry on that count, it's just a matter of finding the time to write. But there will (so long as I get off my butt and write) be more updates, and more full stories to come.



EasierSaid: Well, no new 'adventures' just yet, those are still a little way off... then again it depends how you define adventure :) I had fun having Willow drop comments into Tara's writing, I'm hoping to continue to have them play around with their journal, as well as just writing in it.



Sam7777: Thanks, I like the castle too :)



Vogelscheuche: Thank you :) There will be stories about Willow and Tara going home to the Isles, and I promise we'll get to see their house and everything.



Mel: Thanks, I too find journal-style writing interesting. It's quite difficult to do, though :) I get even more nervous than I do normally about catching the characters' 'voices'.



Thesongwriter: I'm not planning on stopping writing about this Willow and Tara anytime soon - though delays brought on by my own laziness are another matter :punish



Grimmy: I was thinking more like a fountain pen, I'm not sure how far off the ballpoint is. But they're inventing new things all the time, plus, this is a world of magic - they've got plenty of unusual and inventive gizmos already. One of which will be featured in the next update. I'm glad you liked the writing styles, like I said I worry about getting those right.



Well then, time for me to go work on Finding Miss Kitty. Thank you all for your comments, and for your patience. I'm sorry I don't have an update yet, but one is in the works.

Chris Cook

Through the Looking-glass

A Willow and Tara for every world.



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 Post subject: Re: Day by Day - a Hellebore short story (day one)
PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 7:59 pm 
Wow. That was so cute. I'm glad that you're still writing in the Hellebore universe - I don't think your readers will ever get tired of it.

I got bitten by a drunk lesbian! Does that mean I'll turn into one?



~my friend Mary



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 Post subject: Re: The Hellebore series (currently: 'Day by Day')
PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 6:28 pm 
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5. Willowhand
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is the writer still around anyone know if there ever will be a sequal


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 Post subject: Re: The Hellebore series (currently: 'Day by Day')
PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:23 pm 
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19. Yummy Face
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Chris is still around...aren't you, Chris?

And didn't you promise me that there would be a sequel someday, Chris? Of course, I also remember that you said it would be quite a while before the sequel happened.

So, I just keep reading Hellebore...I think the next time I read it will be my 21st reading. :D

Car

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 Post subject: Re: The Hellebore series (currently: 'Day by Day')
PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:13 am 
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18. Breast Gal
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Yup, I'm still around, and I still maintain that I'll write the sequel one day. But (as Car remembered) it won't be soon - various demands on my time mean that I can't be confident in posting and writing at the same time, as I did with Hellebore - writing each chapter in the week before it got posted. If I tried that now I'm pretty certain I'd fall behind, and I'd rather not. So I'm going to try to write the whole thing before I start posting it - or at least enough that I've got a sizeable buffer - but that itself would take a lot of time. Hellebore took a year, effectively non-stop, and the sequel will be longer. But I'll get around to it one day, I promise. I know how the big climactic moment goes, and that's usually the key thing for me in writing anything - so long as there's a big cool moment waiting at the end (usually something evil exploding, followed by victorious smooches), I write the rest of the story just so I can get to it.

Incidentally, Diablo 3 is on the way, so perhaps that'll act as a kick-in-the-butt for me to get working - mind you, I'll need a new computer to run it, but there's not a lot of games I've enjoyed as much as Diablo 2, so I might go for it. They're saying only the Barbarian class will be reappearing from D2, but every class will have the option of being male or female, and I'm sure there'll be classes that function as archers and spell-casters, so - even if they're not called Amazon and Sorceress - the old gameplay styles will still work.

Curiously, D3 is set 20 years after the events of D2 - just like Hellebore...

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Chris Cook
Through the Looking-glass - Every world needs a Willow and Tara.


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 Post subject: Re: The Hellebore series (currently: 'Day by Day')
PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:27 am 
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2. Floating Rose
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Wow, and wow again...
I love this story (and not just 'cause im a Diablo's addict...ice sorceress and assasins...oh those times of hightschool were nothing matters, as long as you just keep leveling...Now D3 is here and i have no time, no money...).
All the setting is amazing, i can picture every chapter in my head so vividly, your descriptions are wonderfull, the cities, villages, temples, wilderness, and all the inhabitants of the world, humans, no humans and of course demons...
Also the develop and timing of the action scenes, the dialogs and interactions betwen all characters, (especially W/T of course) are really fabulous and thrilling.
I laugh half an hour with the reference to the cow level by the way...
The way you displayed the interaction betwen diferent beliefs and customs, and how they merge or differ within the rest of ideologies and cosmogonies is awesome, also the amalgam with the Diablo's world is mesmerized me...
And the adventure, the journey and finally the quest...and the really hot and lovely scenes in betwen... You give me a happy week, i even end up skeching some scenes (was so long since i drew something like this...since my days of obsessive gamer gal i think), so thanks for sharing, is kinda late i know, but thanks anyway for the wonderfull adventure, best wishes and good luck.

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