Chapter 23

David decided that sitting out Ariel’s period would be a good idea. He had been playing a lot, and while taking off for a few hours yesterday had helped, many things were catching up with him. There were several long real-world nights.

So, he slept through the night and spent the next day winding down his work engagements.

He had been considering avoiding the game for a full day and logging in the next morning. But Marv asked him to make an appearance: fans were getting anxious. When evening came around, he logged in, hoping that Ariel would be mostly through her period.

From the Video Blog of Ariel, the First Immortal Whore

Today is going to suck. Sometimes you can just tell. For me it was easy: I knew within seconds of logging in.

Notification

You logged out during your time of moon blood. Just as you cannot gain safety by logging out during battle, you cannot gain advantage by logging out in this way.

In this instance, your moon blood has simply been delayed. In other instances, delaying your cycle to correspond with a magical working, or to promote or avoid pregnancy might be seen as an advantage.

You lose 12000 experience points for failing to follow the Path of Heart’s Desire. You are now level 11.

As the notification faded, I doubled over cramping. The cramping was not quite as bad as when Samantha poorly cast Remove Pregnancy, but it was a shock. My bedding was a mess, and leaving it for several days hadn’t improved the smell. It turns out there are smells that Smell of Sex will amplify that do not turn me on.

What was that about level 11 though? I am already level 11. I looked through the notifications from last night. O double fuck. I actually managed to level up and then lose it. This sucks!

I did level up Fucking, Making Out and Oral Sex all to Beginner 6. Apparently I kept the skill increases even though I lost the level. That wasn’t a lot of experience to lose; I am right at the top of level 11. What I’m really worried about is the skill selection at level 12. I didn’t choose skills before logging out last night. Normally when you regain a lost level, you don’t get to pick skills again. That makes sense obviously, but I don’t know what happens if you never did pick.

After getting dressed, I search for one of the servants. He changes my sheets. Along the way I find Florence. She is about to work with someone, but she offers me some relief from the cramps at least for a few hours. “You should learn to connect with your own body. We will work on teaching you woman’s magic tomorrow, but I do not have time now.”

It’s late in game, but everyone is still up in the real world. A perfect time for raiding. I reach out to Bandit Robin and ask if his group is available.

Bandit Robin: <You are one lucky wench. We were just about to walk out of Berg’s Keep.>

Outside of the city, friend chat would not work.

Ariel: <So you’re at the gate? I’m on my way. What are you looking for tonight?>

Bandit Robin: <We heard about a nest of skeletons and undead a couple hours walk from the city.>

I run to catch up, my armor and casting dagger equipped for the first time in far too long.

Ariel: <One warning. I’m having my period. That affects what I’m willing to do sexually.>

Bandit Robin: <Perhaps we can make it up later. We got a bit of a disappointment too.>

Ariel: <What?>

I arrive at the gate. Bandit Robin is there with two other men. “It’s not the full party,” he says. “Just Will Scarlet and Big John tonight.”

Will is shorter than Robin but had the same wiry agility. They had similar bows strapped to their backs and short swords at their sides.

Big John—or Big John Tank as his tag identified him—is another matter. He is broad-shouldered and at least two meters tall. He had a breast plate and helm but the rest of his armor appeared to be leather. He wasn’t going to clank enough to disrupt others’ stealth, although I doubt it is a skill he cultivates. His voice is low and measured. “Hi there, miss.”

“Hi there John.”

His hand reaches out to grasp mine. “I think we’re gonna do just fine, the four of us.”

“Do you have any healing magic?” Robin asks.

“A little. I have Life Magic as a skill and know Touch Heal.” Each of us have a couple of healing potions. That will have to do.

We depart the city.

My job is going to be to try and sneak up in stealth and back stab the monsters. It will be a bit more tricky with skeletons. Back stab continues to do extra damage, but you need to sever the spine or cut off the head to really get a skeleton out of the fight. Robin and will will be shooting; Big John will charge in and take damage and bash heads. My biggest fear is getting mobbed and not being able to get away. Many of the undead we are facing will be slow, so it it will be easier than it would be against rapid opponents like gnolls.

John has our light. It wouldn’t make sense for one of us who is trying to be stealthy to carry it. Of course, the undead don’t need light to find the living.

We first run across two lone skeletons. I sneak up behind one. They spot Big John, but miss Robin, Will and I. Between my back stab and their two surprise attacks, the skeletons are defeated.

I get a notification:

Notification

You gain extra bonuses on skills used in this attack because of Path of Heart’s Desire.

So that’s how it works. Well, I’m glad that the game isn’t so angry with me over my period that it took away the bonuses.

The next group is harder. Four skeletons and three shamblers (slow zombies). I don’t want to get in the middle of that. Robin suggests we flank them: Robin and I on one side with Will on the other. John gets their attention. They head for him and we attack from stealth as they pass us.

At least that’s the plan. My skeleton notices me, and I’m fighting dagger to bone. Fortunately, Ice Shard at the joints is effective and so I manage to defeat my target.

Now Robin and I are engaged with two of the shamblers. My health is in the red by the time I defeat them.

Sadly, I’m only Beginner 1 at life magic, so my heal is not as powerful as I hoped for. Still, with the higher level characters helping, we defeat the mobs.

“Well, that could have gone better,” I say.

“Eh, wasn’t so bad. You were unlucky, but that happens,” Robin says.

“Skeletons smash good.” John flexed his arms.

“They sure do.”

Eventually we are all recovered.

Unfortunately, I am annoyed by my period yet again. My moon blood rags have soaked through and I need to change them. “I’m going to need a bit of privacy.”

“For what?” It is Will, not Robin who asks, but I can tell they are all surprised.

“Think of it as a call of nature. If we were in the immortal world I’d be changing my tampon. Here things are significantly more primitive.”

I think Big John is blushing. Will looks away. “I didn’t need to know that,” he says.

“Then trust a girl next time.”

“Can’t ya turn that off?” John asks.

“Not if you want to be a whore. Something about becoming in tune with your inner femininity.”

We scout out the area to confirm there are no mobs around. The Foresters leave. I plan to be quick enough that I won’t need to light something to see by. Besides, I’ll need both hands. It’s not completely dark; there’s a sliver of moon and the sky is clear.

Bandit Robin: <Enjoy yourself>

Ariel: <Oh, lots of fun. I wouldn’t want you to feel left out. Perhaps you should come join the party.>

John and Robin are smirking at me in chat. It seems all good natured. They are far enough away that their map positions are only approximate. I’m squatting with my skirt up and everything open as I swap out rags. I think I hear something behind me. I twist my head. Yes, I think I might see movement.

Ariel: <Robin! Not cool sneaking up on me. If you really wanted to watch ... well I don’t know what I would have said, but this isn’t funny.> ` Bandit Robin: <What are you on about? Why would I sneak up on you?>`

Ariel: <Then who is behind me?>

The wind shifts and I catch the smell of rot.

Ariel: <Oh, fuck!>

With a growl, I am knocked back and the shambler is on top of me. I thrash and try to throw him off. He is ripping into my throat. The interface lets you auto-equip weapons, but not in a situation where an enemy potentially has control of your hands. I do some damage: I have above average strength and I’m level 11. My punches do hurt. But not enough to defeat a shambler who is literally ripping my throat out. Blood pulses and I cannot breathe. And it stinks so bad. This isn’t amplified by Smell of Sex, but there is a rotting corpse on top of me.

Notification

You have died. You have lost 90,000 experience points and all normal skill advances in this gaming session. Skill points earned through your path are not affected.

You will resurrect at Berg’s Keep in 30 minutes.

By default, no one is trusted as a friendly agent for looting your corpse.

Yeah, today sucks. And even though I knew that within moments of arriving in game, it’s not like there was a thing I could do about it. It sucks in large part because I dug myself this hole by trying to run away from it before.

I designate my party as trusted to loot my corpse. That means they will be able to get all my stuff if they try. If my corpse is looted by someone else, they will have a chance at getting some of my stuff just like a random drop on a mob. What isn’t taken within the 30 minutes will probably make its way to my new body; resurrection is no sure thing. I could pay more experience to increase the probability that I get to keep particularly valuable items, but nothing I have is worth doing that.

In 30 minutes, I appear at the Berg’s Keep binding stone naked except for the robe you get with a resurrection and a new communications/map interface scroll. Either they got my stuff, or I am exceedingly unlucky.

I am shocked: just from the bonus points from Path of Heart’s Desire I did advance skills. My Stealth is now Beginner 3, Back Stab is Beginner 4, and Elemental Water magic is Beginner 2. If only I’d gotten the full experience and bonus. For that to be partial bonuses, I must have been fighting monsters significantly over my level. Well, if Robin is at least level 20, and Will and John are at least level 15, I guess that’s not surprising.

I stop in at the Whores Guild and manage to borrow new or at least clean moon blood rags and messies to put them in. Most of my sexy clothes are at the Whores Guild, along with my earnings. However the stuff I needed out of the city was all in my pack.

I wait around anxiously, and eventually, Bandit Robin pops up as an available contact on my friends list.

Ariel: <Hey, good to see you guys. Where are you?>

Bandit Robin: <Coming in at the gate. We got your stuff, and for the right price I’m sure we could hand it over.>

Ariel: <Banditry I say! Charging for my stuff after I was so cruelly cut down on your watch. Seriously, is everyone okay?>

Bandit Robin: <John and Will got cut up good, but they’ll be fine come morning. That was a mean bunch that stumbled on you.>

I arrive at the gate. Yeah, Big John Tank does look like he ran into something. He is bruised and bleeding from several cuts. “Well, miss, that’s one way to go,” he says.

He continues, “I know you’re a whore an all. Even so, wasn’t gonna count on you calling ‘oh, fuck,’ cause you’d gotten all turned on.” He brushes away blood that dripped into his eye. “Weren’t surprised none to find you’d made a zombie snack.

“What a way to go, squatting in the woods doin your business.” He shakes his head.

I chuckle. “When you say it like that, it sounds kind of stupid to go off all alone with no guard.”

Will speaks for the first time. “You weren’t the only one who thought it was safe enough.”

“Or who was too embarrassed to think about the safety,” I say. “I guess I’ll handle that differently next time.”

I glare at Robin. “So what’s this about a price for my stuff?”

“I hear tell that you are a fine and accomplished whore. And here we trekked all that way expecting your charms to be available. Before we could avail ourselves you go off and get yourself killed. So, we poor deprived adventurers, bereft of a woman’s company, were hoping to take advantage of the second part of our contract.”

“So this is not a renegotiation; the original deal stands. You want a little role play as one of my services, at the end of which I get my stuff?”

“Madam, you wound me!” He feigns injury. “A man’s enjoyment— nay not merely enjoyment but his very pleasure—reduced to play by a tongue so cruel! How could you put an instrument so fine to such a base use?” He sighs. “But if you must have it thus, then yes, that is what we would have of you for the return of your finest treasures.”

I roll my eyes. “I think we’ve already established to our mutual embarrassment that I’m having my period. I’m not comfortable fucking right now, but I am happy to whore for you in other ways under the terms we agreed. How would the silver-tongued bandit like his very pleasure stroked?”

The three of them whisper. “If you want a chance to get your stuff, you had better come and get it.” The two rangers are off in a flash. Big John is running, but it is clearly for show. He is not trying to lose me. When he turns into an alley, I think I know what their game is. And sure enough, as I get midway down the alley, Robin and Will drop out of stealth behind me and grab my arms. I am going to feel so stupid if this is a real ambush ... but not half as bad as they will by the time the Whores Guild is done with them.

“Foolish wench! You could have gotten away with your life. But no, you had to follow and now you’ve seen us.”

“But sir! Please sir, what you took from me was all I had. I can repay you ... somehow if only you would give it back.”

Robin laughs. “You have nothing. how could you repay us?”

“Well, Robin,” Big John drawls, “she’s got one thing.” He gestures crudely.

Robin scoffs. “John, she’s seen us. If you want to hire a whore later, do that.”

“Please sir! I couldn’t do that but”—the quiver in my voice is more from suppressed laughter than fear—”No, I guess ... if that’s what it takes, I guess I could”

“Robin, John might have a point.” Will continues, “the watch gets all bothered by a body. And a respectable woman ... you think she’s going to talk after she finds out how much she enjoys begging for her stuff?”

“Please! I won’t tell anyone!” Well, except for showing the whole world on my stream. Role play is fun.

Robin shrugs. “If that’s what the two of you want...” He turns to me. “Strip.”

“Here!” In the middle of an alley that anyone could come down?

“There will be no back talk. But since she’s not cooperating, strip her, John. I want her on her knees showing you just how much she wants her things back.”

“Yes, Robin.” Big John steps slowly toward me.

Things have taken a turn I’m not at all comfortable with. A game is one thing, but I’m not okay being degraded with my feelings ignored. What would Master Kessler say? She’d ask me to find a story. Or would she remind me that if there’s something I’m uncomfortable with I should fix it or get out.

I wonder if finding a story will help me fix things. My problem is that I’ve become worried Bandit Robin may be treating Ariel as someone he can force to beg—someone he can humiliate into silence and fear. If it is a game within a game; if he’s hiring Ariel for some role play ... well, it’s still going to be humiliating as all fuck. Anyone could just come down this alley, and besides ... begging like that! Yes, humiliating ... I feel my nipples harden against the thin fabric of the resurrection robe. But if he thinks he can choose for me, then fuck him! Fuck him up real good.

`Ariel: <I need reassurance here that you are not forcing my character. I can walk away with my stuff whenever I choose.>

Big John has stopped behind me; he heard what I said in party chat.

Bandit Robin: <Oh, fuck. Of course you can. We got carried away, joking about being real bandits on the way back, talking about what a fair maid would have to do to get her stuff. I’m so sorry. And what was I thinking! a kid could come down the alley.>

Wow, Master Kessler is right: having a story ready helps. With the idea of role play in my mind, that one sentence is enough to sweep away my anger. My fear is still present, but it’s the familiar fear of embarrassment to come when I know I’m going to make a complete slut of myself. And I thought my nipples were hard before!

Ariel: <That’s the reassurance I needed. I am fine being hired to play your captured maid. And don’t worry about anyone without adult content enabled being able to see us.>

Bandit Robin: <You sure? I’m really sorry.> ` Ariel: <I am. Get back to being a bandit.>

I forgot about Big John Tank behind me, until he grabs at my robe. I scream. Fortunately he doesn’t stop.

I am on my knees in front of Big John. “Please sir. I will make you feel so good. Just give me my stuff.” I rub my cheek against him.

He pets my head. I breathe in the scent of his excitement, his sweat, and surprisingly enough his fear. The fear is not fresh; I wonder if it was for me, or if the fight became heated after I was killed.

At Robin’s direction, I unbutton John and engulf his cock. Tingles run over my flesh. It is humiliating. That plus the smell of the men’s excitement turns me on. I smell my growing lust over the ever-present scent of my moon blood.

“Will, go over and see how she’s doing. You can decide what her performance is worth.”

“Sure boss. Can I play with her?”

“So long as Big John doesn’t mind.”

Will watches as I continue to suck John. His hand reaches for my breast. I moan around the cock in my mouth. His hand feels good. I can feel his breath against my cheek; I can smell his arousal as he watches me—as he no doubt waits his turn.

With a growl, John comes. I lick him clean.

“What do you think, Will?”

“That was good. I think we should give her something special.”

“Do you have anything in mind?”

I hear him move, but John’s hand on my head prevents me from turning to look at whether he’s showing something. “Oh, yes, a good choice! Wench, if you are properly appreciative we will let you work to beg for more of your possessions. If not...” Robin trails off.

Will’s hand reaches around and places the dirty rags I was in the middle of removing when I was attacked into my cleavage. I suppress a flinch. Of course he would. I’ve been begging and giving a blow job just to get my dirty rags back. At this rate it’s going to be a long night to get all of my things. The humiliation burns. Not only am I humiliated to be begging in the middle of the alley, but they’ve been looking at—even handling—my used moon blood rags. And now I have to pretend that this is the best thing ever.

But I am worked up; it feels good. I am also proud. I can do this; I can enjoy being their whore. I help them turn their fantasy into something hot, something safe for us all to enjoy. Being a girl who will prostitute herself and beg for used rags is something I have no interest in. But being a girl who can facilitate that fantasy—who can make it safe for people who actually care about and respect their lovers to play that game? Yeah, that makes me proud and turns me on.