(story continues from The Pit of Pleasure 3) Part Four “You know,” Crystal said as they made their way down through more tunnels. “I’m starting to have a bad feeling about this whole adventure. “Only starting to?” Brunhilde said. She clearly wasn’t happy about what had happened back at the tree. “It’s just… doesn’t it feel to anyone else like someone is manipulating us through this? Looking on for their own cruel amusement?” ...
(story continues from Chess) Part 2: Double or Quits Lady Livuetta strode into the House of Balance, clutching the invitation the Dealer had sent to her. It had been five days since she had lost her sister and many of her friends in her game against Madame Catalina, and she had petitioned the House’s otherworldly owner on each one of them to speak with her about her sister’s loss, confident that she could buy Theresa back. ...
Lady Livuetta looked across the board in the heart of the House of Balances, at that bitch Madame Catalina. The whore who had stolen her Antoine’s heart, or at least his cock, had an entire household arrayed around her in the ranks required of the game. Her over the top curves made her look like a slut in black velvet, a far cry from Livuetta’s willowy frame. Livuetta had her own ranks, arrayed in white as she was. It had taken enough doing just to get them there. Coin for the servants in the front ranks. Demonstrations of her prowess on the board for those consenting to play the major pieces. Promises and threats. Although often not so many of those. It turned out that the attractions of the House of Balance were enough for most, even with the threat of consequences. Maybe especially with them for the likes of Reynard and Timon, her rooks. And for her sister Teresa, it hadn’t even taken that. ...
Part One Organising a dark elf wedding was, Eloine decided, just about the worst punishment the goddess of pleasure and pain had ever invented. Oh, there were the whippings and the pincers and the thing with the hot wax in the spider webs, but at least Eloine mostly just had to lay back, relax and enjoy them. Whereas everyone expected her to do just about everything with this wedding. Specifically, Xantha, the second most powerful noble in the dark city of E’ville, expected her to do everything. And after one meeting with the not exactly blushing bride, Eloine had known why all the other priestesses had suddenly looked so busy when the request had come through. ...
(story continues from The Pit of Pleasure) Part Two Crystal tried to creep through the darkness of the dungeon, hugging the shadows, keeping out of sight. Now, if only her companions were doing the same. Lord Antram strode along as though it were a parade. Urik was complaining about what the dank conditions were going to do to his hair. The hobbits were trading riddles, although at least they had agreed to carry some of the gear. ...
(story continues from The Pit of Pleasure 2) Part Three Jarell stood at the midpoint between the two women, the human witch still wracked by the jolts of her own magic and the dark elf matriarch. He’d tied her flat against a whipping post, setting a flogger into the most ingenious mechanism the dwarves had devised for him. “It’s a very simple game,” he said, touching the swinging arm lightly. “Every time Lady N’ventual there moves, that changes the pressure in the… well, to be honest, I wasn’t paying attention to the technical details. Neither were most of the dwarven women by the end, so there’s a chance that the engineering might not be perfect, but I’m willing to bet that it will work for now.” ...