Down in the pillow room and isolated from any natural light, Snowcora quickly loses all sense of time. The blindfold enhances this, only coming off occasionally when a bunny brings her something to drink - either water or broth - and at those times the lights are too dim for her to make out what Mordecai has done to her so far.
And he's done a lot, from the feel. The aftermath of the tattooing feels like bad sunburn, and he's covered her stomach, back and shoulders so far, along with her left hand and forearm - which is wrapped in a damp towel to keep her from using it. She's sore in other areas as well; to keep her distracted from the pain, the bunnies and Mordecai have been keeping her in a near constant state of arousal and sexual activity. And when the Eeee needed to work on an area that didn't allow for simultaneous coitus, the unnamed and unseen Lapi buck was brought in to take over.
There's a break now, of sorts. The needle isn't being used on her, and Mordecai is 'only' making love now while the bunnies slather soothing ointments over Snowcora's complaining skin.
Snowcora's a mix of strange emotions. she's terrified on one level because she really has no control here. She can't leave and the does spend a good amount of time keeping her immobile. Her hearing is terrible ... and she's blindfolded most of the time so that she can't even see what is being done to her. All it does is hurt. "I never expected this," she murmurs softly as she rolls in time with her Eeee companion. "You really just ... took me. I feel as if you desire me to belong to you and be adored as you are." She pauses there to swallow softly. "I do not live in this city and cannot stay in it. But ... I was wondering that when I visited ... could I belong to you? I would come and stay here if possible. I would do whatever you asked of me."
FIX: adored => adorned
It's also difficult for Snowcora to say what she did, her tongue still throbs from the bat now within it, making her speech a bit slurred for the time being.
FIX bat -> bar
"Mmmm," Mordecai says, and licks a recently tattooed spot. "I suppose that would be enough to convince me to let you leave," he notes, sounding pleased. "I will have time to think of new uses for you.."
Snowcora hisses when cool tongue hits hot and burning skin; though the anaesthetic properties do help ease the pain. "Should I ask Hortense to ... train me? Her does are quite skilled and know what to do without needing to be asked."
"Oh, I think I'd enjoy doing that part myself," Mordecai says, and suddenly withdraws. "I'm done for the time being. Girls, make sure she rests."
"Can I look at what you've done so far?" Snowcora asks when Mordecai suddenly withdraws. The sensation of being empty now feels weird given what she has been doing for the past several hours.
"Not yet, you are a mess," the bat says, moving away. One of the bunnies props Snowcora upright, and presses a cup to her lips.
Snowcora tilts her head and sips slowly from the cup of water, thankful for another drink. While she drinks, her right hand wanders over to her stomach and traces over it, feeling the raised, angry, skin and wishing she could see what she looked like. "Is he going to cover all of me?" she asks one of the does once she is done drinking.
"Perhaps," the cup-holding doe says. She takes the cup away once Snowcora has finished drinking. "Now, you need to sleep," the doe notes, and something is brought up close to the blind-folded girl's face. "Take a deep breath.."
Snowcora blinks at that. This is so confusing and odd. She can't imagine being able to sleep at all with the way her body burns, but ... she exhales once, then inhales deep.
The next thing Snowcora sees is a wooden ceiling, lit by candlelight. She's floating.. literally.. in a tub of oily water. Her skin isn't complaining anymore, at least, and her left hand isn't wrapped up. The lighting is still dim though; probably a single candle.
And there Snowcora floats for a time. "What that a dream? Did everything I do with that Eeee not actually happen?" she wonders as she floats in the oily water. She lifts her left hand and tries to look at it in the dim light.
The hand is dark. Snow has good night-vision, so Snowcora can make out a pattern but not color. It looks like her left hand and forearm have been tattooed to resemble the look of her right hand when the shadow-flesh is exposed.
"Not a dream?" she finally says, then trips up on the stud in her tongue. This makes her blink. She feels down her stomach, finding the stone in her navel ... then feels lower, looking for her rings and protective chain-with-lock. That sinking feeling returns in her stomach; if her hand looks like that, her body must be a sight.
The rings are there.. but not the chain and lock. Mordecai must still have it. The movement and resulting sloshing wakes up the attendant who was apparently in the back corner. It's the Lapi buck, who comes to the side of the tub and looks at Snowcora. "Awake?" he asks.
Snowcora tries to right herself now and stand in the tub so that she can perhaps see more of herself. "Yes. Where am I?" she asks of the buck. "How long have I been here?"
"Recovery room," the buck says, and reaches out to steady Snowcora as she tries to stand. She feels weak and woozy still. "Been about a day. Prolly hungry?" he asks.
"A little. Is he ... done?" Snowcora asks nervously. "His needle never seemed to end as he worked on me." She swallows and loons down at her own stomach. She has to bend over some to manage this, since Snow's endowment makes it hard to see just looking down.
More dark patterns, but standing up has actually made her vision darken. She's forgotten how often Mordecai fed off of her. Snow always recovered quickly, but Snowcora hasn't had anything more substantial than meat broth.
Snowcora wobbles there and straightens up to keep from falling over. "I had better eat," she admits. "I guess the blindfold goes back on?"
"You're too dizzy, here," the buck says, and helps her out of the tub. Then he begins patting her down with a fluffy towel - not rubbing though, just patting. He mutters while he works, of course.
Snowcora steadies herself by taking a hold of the rim of the tub. "My name is ... Nicora, or Snowcora if you prefer," she murmurs tiredly to the buck. "Who are you?" She concentrates as bests he can on feeling how he pats ... and where on her feels tender.
"Jacoba," the Lapi notes. Once he's done with the towel, he runs his hands over Snowcora's body. The tattooed places tingle from the touch, still slightly more sensitive than the rest of her skin. "Any itch? Burn?" the buck asks, making sure to fondle even the un-tattooed areas.
"I feel ... tingly in places but nothing itches or burns," Snowcora answers after some time of trying to figure just that out. "Have you ... seen me, Jacoba? What do I look like? Mordecai ... claimed me. The does held me and he ... tattooed me to his desires. I haven't seen what he did," she admits, feeling flushed and embarrassed.
"It's dark," the buck replies. "Mordecai will want to have a big presentation, so doesn't want anyone to really see much before that.. not even you. It's nice to see you though, finally," he says, and then pulls Snowcora up against him and kisses her!
Snowcora mrfts! in surprise at the sudden kiss. She isn't quite sure how to respond to that, but eventually her hands wrap around him and give the buck a hug during the kiss. "So, you were one of the ones who ... inducted me into this club while I was in Mistress Hortense's contraption?" she asks once she is able to. "Didn't get enough of me then?"
The last bit, though tinged with tiredness, sounds teasing.
"I didn't know you were beautiful," Jacoba answers. "We wear blindfolds so that it does not matter what the person looks like. But I would happily service you further without blindfolds if you wish." He then picks up something hanging on the wall, and drapes it around Snowcora's shoulders: the Lapi-fur cloak. "You'll need to wear this."
Nicora holds up her hand. "You mentioned something about food. I could eat you before we leave this room," she says, her voice sounding a little suggestive. "In a good way. If there is time..."
"You wish to try your stud on a stud, eh?" the Lapi says with a grin. "Well, if you will not collapse.."
Snowcora adjusts her cloak a bit ... then lowers herself to her knees. It actually feels good to be off her feet for a few minutes. It takes her several deep breaths to find her courage again and her hands come up to trace and feel along the buck until she finds what she was seeking. Her hands then play there for a time. After a deep breath she leans in ... and gives her tongue stud a test. A gentle, but very thorough one, on the the buck and his fountain. She tries not to even think about what she's doing. It's a distraction; more time in the dark before she may see just what it is the Eeee did to her.
The Lapi is silent, with only his breathing and the tenseness of his muscles to tell Snowcora his state. But when he fountains, it isn't exactly a surprise to her. His sigh seems to echo around the small room.
And Snowcora reminds herself she's used to drinking blood, so that when the time comes she is able to ... drink from his fountain. When it is over, she remains kneeling on the floor for a couple minutes, feeling ashamed of what she did ... all to avoid seeing what she now looks like. But finally she eases herself back to her feet and pulls the cloak completely around herself to obscure her body from view. "I would spend more time with you ... but we should probably go before people come looking for me."
"Yes," the Lapi says, catching his breath. "You did very well there," he adds, and then opens the door and leads Snowcora back into the maze of false-walls... right back to the blue door where she spend so much time before. "What do you want to eat? Do you need meat?" he asks, as he opens the door for the cloaked woman.
"I can, but perhaps something mostly liquid. A stew?" Snowcora requests of Jacoba. She looks through the blue door and draws a deep breath, then swallows. Her head bows, perhaps a submissive gesture, perhaps just embarrassment ... and she walks through.
"I'll be back," the buck says. The room is dim and apparently empty.. except some of the pillows are breathing. Even the Lapi does need to rest occasionally it seems.
Nicora sheds her cloak now that she's in the room and takes yet another chance to try and look at herself in the low light.
"This is a ... harem," Snowcora finally realizes.
There are no mirrors or reflective surfaces in the room, unfortunately. What she can make out is that the tattoos form a sort of corset on her torso, mostly covering her stomach, with some extension onto her upper thighs, shoulders and upper arms. Her breasts seem untouched, along with the rest of her upper chest, as far as she can tell. There's no way to see what her back is like.
"They put me in bondage, then marked me with it so I always appear bound," Snowcora murmurs to herself. She picks up her cloak again and wraps it around herself ... then very carefully in the dark searches out the pillows and nestles herself down between two of the does.
The two does stir and snuggle against Snowcora - perhaps mistaking the cloak for one of their own. A few minutes later, Jacoba returns with a steaming mug. "Are you in the pile?" he whispers, when he doesn't see Snowcora standing up.
Snowcora lifts her left arm and waves to the buck. "Am I a harem girl now?" she asks softly as she tries to wave him over to her.
"I think you would have to be a Khatta to officially be in a harem," the man says, sitting down nearby. "I have soup with.. meat in it. I didn't ask what kind, though."
Nicora gingerly sits up, leaving her cloak behind and therefore the woman is once more nude. "Has Mordecai finished tattooing me?" she ask the buck as she accepts the soup. She finds its spoon, stirs it, then takes a few sips to taste it. "He's made me feel strange. Like ... his property," she notes.
The Lapi pulls Snowcora into his lap, acting as a heated seat for her. "I told him you are awake, and he is arranging an unveiling for you. That implies that he's done.. or at least done enough that you're ready to be shown off."
"That scares me," Snowcora admits between spoonfuls of her soup. "What if I'm not pretty anymore?"
"Well.. then you can live down here in the dark with us Lapi," the buck offers, and wraps his arms around Snowcora's midriff. "It is a terrible fate, I'm sure.."
"As terrible as it was to make love to multiple does at once while Mordecai worked his needle upon my skin," Snowcora admits as she leans back against that buck. "I'm not really bound here, am I? I could leave if I wished?"
"Of course," Jacoba says. "Anyone can come and go as they please. But we all have our reasons for being here, instead of.. out there," he notes. "How's the soup?"
"It's pretty good, actually, thank you for bringing it," Snowcora says as she resumes eating. The human goes silent now, apparently a little more hungry than she thought. In about five minutes her soup bowl is empty.
Jacoba takes the bowl and sets it aside. "Are you ready to go up to Mordecai yet? I could also try to find your friend, but I think she went into the tunnels yesterday."
Snowcora rolls forward onto her hands and knees and stretches a bit there, then looks over her back. "I don't know if I want her to see me like this," she admits and then looks over her shoulder. "And we can go to Mordecai now, sure. Unless you would like to enjoy me one more time?" She must really be scared to see herself to be offering herself again to the buck. She accentuates that with a shimmy of her bottom.
Well, Jacoba answers by kneeling behind the woman and running his hands across her back. Maybe this is why Mordecai didn't lock her back up? Of course, there's no way the does are going to sleep through this, and start to stir. A few join in, naturally..
And of course they help Jacoba by holding Nicora in that position as they did for Mordecai. It's certainly interesting when she can't see her lover and the movement feels good in a different way. So does how the does nurse on her dangly bits ... and then there was the doe she tried her tongue stud on ... but nothing can last forever and soon she is back to her feet and slipping the cloak around her body to conceal it from the world again while the does lounge around her feet. "Take me to my ... owner," Snowcora tells the buck.
Jacoba takes to the stairs, which go up to the 'back room' - which nearly blinds Snowcora when the door is opened. Compared to the dim light and darkness she's gotten used to, the room is seems bright as daylight to her from all of the lamps in use.
Snowcora winces from the bright light and turns her head away from the light so that she can blink and get her eyes to adjust slowly. She takes a few deep breaths as she thinks, "Nothing will change what he's done to you. You're marked. Delaying seeing it will only make it worse, right?" she thinks. She nods once, then steps through the door and back into the 'back room'.
Aside from Mordecai and a large covered dressing mirror near the throne, the room is empty. "Ah, my lovely canvas," the Eeee says in that booming voice of his, "Come, let me see how you've healed."
Snowcora feels her face flush and she walks slowly towards the throne, her hips sashaying under the robe. Perhaps his time around Vorgulremik's aura did affect him some because in his presence she always seems to feel, well, that she should submit. She stops just before the throne and swallows nervously.
A glitter on one arm of the throne turns out to be the missing golden chain and lock. Mordecai takes out a blindfold (he's actually wearing loose Zolk pants) and wraps it around Snowcora's head, then he pulls off her cloak. "Very good, no redness.. but there is one or two more touches to make," he says, and then reattaches the chain and lock.. cinching it just a touch tightly, given that the area is still a bit tender. "Can you fully expose your wonderful hand, please?" he asks.
Snowcora holds completely still as the blindfold goes on ... and the cloak comes off. She bites her lip ... then ends up playing with the stud in her mouth nervously. she twitches, then goes up on her toes as she feels the chain slide in place, then the lock cinch tight the sore flesh held closed by its collection of five rings. Again she swallows and she thinks, "Kaira, let my right hand revert, please."
"It was taking an effort to keep it from doing that anyway," the dragon reports. "You're running low on reserves. After whatever is going to happen here, you need to find Tulani and get recharged." The pale white skin darkens and shrinks on Snowcora's right forearm, congealing into the odd, flayed-looking ridges and valleys and struts of her shadow-hand.
"There, that makes it perfect. Now just stand here," the bat instructs.
"It is as you asked for," Snowcora says, blindfolded. She is sure he saw it, but it's one thing she can feel and know exactly what it looks like. Her head nods once and there she waits as instructed.
There's quiet, and then the sounds of people moving about, low conversation and shadows passing between the lights and herself, since the blindfold can't keep it all out. She's sure they're pressing in close around her.. she can feel their breath!
"This really makes me feel like property, a piece of art," Snowcora thinks as she feels people gather in close. She swallows and tries to remain still, but this is extremely hard to do. Her stomach sinks and all the fears about what she's let have done to her return full force!
Something flicks against her back - it felt like a Naga tongue! Still, nobody actually seems to talk. "Make way please," Mordecai says, and then Snowcora feels the blindfold being removed, with the Eeee's smiling face taking up her immediate field of vision. "And now, I give you.. Gift of the Goddesses!" With that he steps away, so Snowcora is facing her own reflection in the mirror. The room is host to about a dozen other people - humans and Naga and Jingai, all tattooed in some manner (although clothing hides most of it on the humans). Snowcora realizes she was mistaken earlier - she is tattooed on her upper chest, it just wasn't dark enough to show in the dim light. The Tree hangs between her breasts, all in yellow-gold; the symbol of Rinala. Golden branches spread from the central rune, twining over her collarbone and reaching towards her throat and shoulders, where black vines snake over from her back to mix. The roots spread out across her ribs, following up along the curve of her breasts and
The roots spread out across her ribs, following up along the curve of her breasts and down to meet the blue tendrils that spread from the Flower. There is some subtle texturing between the tendrils, to give the impression of liquid - no doubt to match the shiny mottled nature of her shadow-flesh..
Her left hand is isolated, done in green and black to mimic the black designs of her right. The orb there contains the rune of Gorphat, and the pattern is subtly duplicated in the spaces between the thicker lines.
The blue tendrils from the Flower reach down, ending in fanciful, lacy curlicues on her upper thighs, while the tips of black tendrils curl around from the sides. Thin blue roots touch each of the intimate piercings as well. Overall, the effect is like a colorful version of her shadow-hand's structures.
Snowcora stands there, astounded as she looks at herself in the mirror. The design strikes her, it reminds her of the dream that she had where Nala showed how various aspects of the Sisters are all part of here ... and here it is starkly painted on her flesh. Possibly permanently painted on her flesh. A shiver runs through her. She let him do this to her body. Her entire body is almost completely covered in intertwining representations of the Sisters! Her intimate piercing's, her entire area, framed to present to the world her gift from Inala, and the passage to Her pleasures. The Tree between her breasts, the mark of Rinala as it grows about her, connecting to each of the other aspects. The green and black left hand, Gorphat's corrupted touch upon her flesh. "Oh Gods," she whispers out, wide eyed. "This is ... amazing."
"Turn around," Mordecai encourages.
It takes Snowcora a moment to turn around, her eyes are transfixed on just how marked she is. Symbols that may always be part of her flesh. She draws in another deep breath, then turns completely so that her back is to the mirror.
Looking over her shoulder, she sees the mirrored runes of the Corpse, one on each shoulder-blade, suspending in a sea of twining black vines. The the whorls and details of the tendrils hide other images. Along the her spine is the common rune for the Corpse, seen only as angular lines and a cross bar. But even deeper, there are suggestions of tormented faces - the Sea of Souls? And then the larger, hidden pattern jumps out at her - because she's seen it before, centered on her own chest after Mordecai first brought out the features of her scar. Her entire back, seen as a whole, is the face of a dragon, with the Corpses for eyes.
Snowcora gasps and covers her mouth. She swallows and takes another deep breath. "He did my entire back! My back is a tribute to Sunala and Shadow. A mass of thorns, tendrils, and her symbols," she realizes in shock. The human she sees in the mirror is a testament to the Goddesses, a tribute and an altar. Markings showing how they surround her and how various parts of her serve their wishes. The permanence is the scariest part of all; she's marked, claimed. She's Mordecai's servant ... and even more to the point, the servant of the Sisters. Their daughter in this body ... and she doesn't know if these marks will remain when she changes!
"You seem overwhelmed," Mordecai says, standing close. "Are you disappointed?"
Snowcora blinks and looks to Mordecai. She isn't quite sure what to say. She's terrified. The work is permanent! "I ... I ..." she stammers .. then throws her arms around his neck and kisses him. Even with sore areas and the tingling sensations she rubs her body against the albino as she kisses, enjoying the feel of every part of him for as long as it lasts. "I love it," she whispers to him when the kiss ends and she draws back a little. "You have made me their altar and their daughter. I could never have thought of such work."
"Ah, I am glad of that!" Mordecai says, then kisses back. He seems like he's about to go further, as a hand brushes against the lock - spectators or not. But Kaira intrudes on Snowcora's thoughts, saying, "Tick-tock. If you don't get moving, you're going to start getting the urge to devour the audience, and that might be noticed."
Snowcora tenses up! "I have to go back and change back. This form won't last much longer," Snowcora whispers to the Eeee. "These markings should last in this form and I will always think of you when I wear it ... but I must return to being an Eeee or it gets dangerous," she apologizes to the albino Eeee.
"Or, I might just be able to recharge. I have to find Tulani. Come with me?" Snowcora asks the albino.
Mordecai turns to the crowd and bows, which causes a round of applause from the tattooed audience. "I must take my canvas aside now, and make passionate embrace until she can not remember the pain of my painting."
"I'm surprised you haven't kenned this one yet," Kaira whispers to Snowcora. "You should do what Snow did to you to him."
"And I must keep from eating everyone here!" Snowcora thinks, some semblance of common sense returning to her thanks to Kaira's reminder. She bows to the crowd as well, then kneels down to collect her cloak since she'll need it. "I haven't had time! Maybe down in the cave," she thinks. "I really, really, hope Tulani is there!" Nothing like a little real danger to snap someone back to common sense!