Chapter 4: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

“Up Slave we have much work to do.” Was what Steve awoke to the next morning bright and early.

“Hey, it’s only 6am.” Steve said, after looking over at the wall clock. “I don’t have classes until 10am why are you picking on me...” Then he recalled the events of the prior evening and sat straight up in bed.

“I had nothing to do...” Steve started but Red broke in.

“This one is well aware of that Slave. I allowed my anger to distract me and paid the price for my inattention, I am in your debt for saving me from whatever they had planned. The potion they used on me should have made me, a female, imprint on the first dominant male that I had sexual intercourse with. I was helpless to resist it’s power as I’m sure you noticed Slave, but something obviously went wrong. I have never found myself drawn to a male, a man before, but I find I am bound to you in some way I can’t clearly define, and I can feel you are bound to me in some way too. That is even though you did not take a potion I am aware of. I am not sure the tangled spell created can even be broken when it’s already so tangled and broken, ha, ha. I am not even sure I want to break the spell Slave. How are you called Slave.” She told him a little too loud and boastfully Steve thought.

“My name is Steve Collins, not Slave ... and you are?” Steve told her a little angrily.

“I quite like Red ... I find it quite fitting Steve, very uncomplicated and descriptive, but my full name, that my loving family gifted me with at birth, is Isabella Camila María José Custodio. I was named Isabella for Great Grandmother on my father’s side of the family, Camila was a famous woman warrior, and a ancestor on my Mother’s side of the family, María José is a blessing of sorts for Mary and Joseph in the bible, and Custodio is our family name, there you have it all Steve. I have never particularly liked any of them Steve ... continue to call me Red if you want. Now get dressed we have places to go, people to see.” She boisterously told Steve.

“I hope it’s not back to Professor Smith’s office sweetheart? Hey, you know your welcome to take a shower with me Red.” Steve called back over his shoulder as he headed for the shower naked now, and noticing Herman was up for a little play now too.

“No, No, I’m afraid I made myself look like a fool, and lost any advantage I might have gained by knowing he was responsible for her disappearance by my show of anger yesterday in public. By this time I’m sure damage control has come in and cleaned up the mess. The two men that drugged me prove that Steve. The story is probably already floating around campus that me and Jesse are lesbian lovers that had a lovers quarrel, and she’s left school to avoid me her angry lover, or some version of that story anyway. It would do no good to report her missing to the campus security, or local police now either, I wouldn’t be believed, ha, ha. And I’ve already used the shower Steve, but thanks anyway.” She told him from the doorway.

“So what are we going to do Red?” Steve questioned her a short time latter as he dressed.

“First we’re going home ... my home anyway, and I’m going to inform the family Steve. After that I’m going to change cloths, pick up some toys, and go back to the Spinning Wheel to get my car if it’s still there.” Red told Steve and laughed. Several hours latter saw Steve driving up in the hills that Steve thought was a large protected National Park. Following her directions they wound up at a large iron fence and a set of wide locked gates with a real Fairy Tale castle off in the distance. Yes, a real straight out Disneyland Fairy Tale castle. Red pulled a small thin black wand out of a fanny pack she had strapped around her narrow waist and the gates noiselessly opened at a pass of the wand. Steve drove through and the gates silently began to close behind them as they sped on.

“This is home Red?” He questioned.

“Yes, home sweet home no matter how humble it is Steve.” She laughed. Five lean, round flat towers and four corner towers with red peaked roofs were scattered in a seemingly random pattern, connected by tall solid battlement walls made of huge quarried grey granite blocks. Wide windows of varying sizes and shapes were scattered generously across the battlement walls in a seemingly random pattern, along with overhanging crenelations. The fields around it were forests now, but the paved road leading up to the barbican itself was well maintained. The drawbridge was down and the portcullis was up, looking for all the world like some wild beast’s wide open hungry mouth with deadly sharp teeth ready to bite down on anyone foolish enough to walk, or drive through it.

“Is there a mote?” Steve asked when he stopped to stare across the lowered drawbridge.

“Of course not, it was filled in ages ago.” Red huffed.

“Is it safe?” He questioned her next.

“Of course.” She answered back indignantly. With that they drove into the courtyard where other cars and vehicles were already parked. She directed him where to park, and then proceeded to drag him by the hand into the castle. Marching down long hallways and doorways till they reached a wide hall, with lots of long tables and chairs. She directed him to sit, and stay, like he was her pet dog or something, and then rushed off by herself.

Soon, some middle aged women showed up from the many doorways surrounding the great hall. They didn’t say anything at first, just wandered around him, openly gawking at him like they had never seen a man before. Finally one approached, and said something.

“Young man did Isabella bring you.” She asked.

“Yes, Mam.” Steve answered truthfully knowing Red’s first name was Isabella.

“Our Isabella?” Another asked.

“Is there more than one?” Steve questioned with a straight face.

“Do you intend to marry her young man?” Another asked, and was immediately pulled into a whisper huddle by the others.

“I hadn’t thought much about it Mam.” Steve chuckled back.

“Well you really should young man, because Isabella isn’t getting any younger you know. Your the first man Isabella has ever brought home to our knowledge, you really need to be forceful with her young man. Women like a forceful man. Make her understand it’s her duty to carry on the family name. To get married. To have children. She can’t do that without a man you know.” This one explained to Steve earnestly.

“What have you old betty hens been telling Steve? Steve these are some of my aunts and other odd relatives, if you stay here long enough you’ll get to meet all of them and my uncles too eventually. I’m surprised they haven’t already shown up in fact. Always sticking their unwanted noses in my private business. I guess they are just getting old.” Steve was amazed at the transformation, no not the hairdo, the cloths. Gone was the tight shirt and hip huggers. Red was all in tight black leather now. Think Selene from the movie Underworld except with a carrot red bushy afro.

“Isn’t that a little over the top Selene?” Steve questioned her tastes in cloths...

“Not really Steve, this isn’t for show, this isn’t ... isn’t ... what’s the popular term I’m looking for? This isn’t Cosplay costume, though I think it looks cool, this is real. As real as Selene’s was supposed to be. It’s reinforced with a natural spun spider silk that is 10 times stronger than your Kevlar in all the critical areas, it’s got reinforced joints, and it’s got the advantage that it adsorbs the energy of what hits it and sheds it at right angles, not reflect Steve, shed. You can literally shrug off getting hit. Here!” She finished by throwing him a black leather ... he couldn’t believe it ... a black leather woman’s one peace swim suit, and a pair of leather shorts. He could imagine Pamela Anderson wearing it, but not him.

“You must be kidding me Red, a woman’s swim suit?” Steve swore.

“Steve I’m wearing the same thing under this rig. It’s universal ... one size fits all ... unisex, ha, ha. Not only does it protect the heart, lungs, kidneys, from sharp unexpected blows, it protects the femoral artery in the groin. Just put it on like a good boy.” She laughed.

“Good Boy, I’m a Good Boy now?” Steve said out loud, he was beginning to get mad. He might have boiled over, if the other ladies still in the room with them, hadn’t begun to laugh, giggle, and sniggle, behind their hands. He wasn’t going to fight Red for their pleasure he told himself.

“OK, OK, I’ll try it on.” It made sense when he really thought about it, and dropped the macho male image thing. No use taking unnecessary chances if they didn’t have to. Of course he almost lost it again when he heard one lady whisper, “I think she’s training him Edna.”. He wasn’t being trained he was only doing the smart thing he had to remind himself.

“Where do I change Red?” Steve asked.

“Right there if you want to, ha, ha, I’ve already seen everything I wanted to see stud, but if your bashful follow me and I’ll show you the bathroom.” With that she started for one of the many doorways. When he was done he found that it did fit rather well. There were even Velcro fasteners that allowed you to use the restroom without taking it off completely. When he stepped out Red was still there waiting.

“What next Oh fearless leader.” He asked.

“Next we go before the Court.” At that he laughed and made a joke.

“You mean I’ve already got a ticket Red, ha, ha.” He laughed at his own joke.

“No, stupid Slave, we go before my Father and Mother, the King and Queen, of once mighty Castle Custodio, and my other relatives to ask permission to rescue Jesse, my lover, from these evil doers. True Castle Custodio is not mythical Avalon, guarded by the Lady of the Isle of Avalon. Our science and wizardry are not as powerful as mighty Merlin’s, or even as powerful as Arthur’s half-sister Morgan le Fay’s was, but our wizard Mabon was able to keep us from harm these many years. Now our actions in the outlands could effect the Castle, and family, therefore they need to be told.” She explained.

“Your a Fairy Tale Princess for real Red?” Steve asked in shock.

“Yes, we are from another dimension where magic works, but magic is not that much different than your science Steve. There are rules that have to be followed. Our magic is weak in the outlands ... your world. Or let me say the power waxes and wanes across time and space. At the moment we have the full use of our magic, but that could change in the blink of an eye.” Isabella tried to explain to Steve.

“Our magic flows through the female branch of the Custodio line so I guess you would call me a witch. My mother the Queen has the power and became Queen. She had me and then shortly after she had a miscarriage. Since then she has been barren. There are no suitable males in the kingdom a magical search by Mother found for me to be breed ... like I am livestock ... to be breed to. So I’m forced to go out into the outlands to hunt and bring back a suitable ... male ... mate ... husband. Well that is my Mother’s directive anyway. While searching the university campus I met and fell in love with Jesse.

“How did I NOT know this Castle was here Red?” Steve asked the most pressing question on his mind at the moment.

“Because it’s not ... without me to guide you you can’t get here, or leave now that you are here, ha, ha, ha. I am the key.” She answered.

“So I’m your prisoner?” He questioned.

“Never! I owe you a debt of gratitude that can never truly be repaid Steve, consider yourself my special guest for the moment.” Red laughed, and at that moment a trumpet sounded from somewhere within the castle.

“Come our audience with the King and Queen begins.” She said, pulling him by the hand down more long halls and through more wide doorways until they entered a great cathedral with a stained glass roof of all things. The room was filled with people in quant costume Steve thought. As they approached the end Steve could finally see the King and Queen on their thrones. They were dressed in 16th century styles he had seen in oil paintings of the House of Habsburg under King Charles I, the Spanish monarchy.