A compilation

[AnonymousQuote]

Here it is, my previously-released stories (no longer on DeviantArt), compiled and in one place. Didn't want to make a bunch of new topics, so one will have to do.
From oldest to newest, the stories included in this post are:

~Ezra (not Erza) in Quicksand
~Ahri in Quicksand (hooray for terrible names :P)
~The Experiment

Please, be free with your critiques, comments, judgments, etc... I love to hear it all!
Let us begin...

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

Ezra in Quicksand
My first story, based on a Torchlight OC. Not Erza from Fairy Tale (I wish, though).
Ezra shouldered her favorite weapon, a massive wrench, and walked away from the merchant caravan with a small spring in her step. Jobs were scarce these days, and someone like her could barely make a living completing the odd delivery mission that came along every now and then. Now, she had a new job, and a well-paying one at that. At first, the merchant had been skeptical about hiring her, seeing her deceptively slender build. Only after she had singlehandedly defeated a party of orcs did the merchant consent. It turned out that the merchant had left something back at the last town, a small box of semi-precious gems. Fortunately, they were safely locked away, and Ezra now had the key. Fingering the small key, she contemplated simply taking the gems and running for it. No one would know, after all. But then she decided against it, remembering that all adventurers like herself were honor-bound to carry out any tasks give them. Anyway, the merchant was offering a significant reward that was probably worth more than a small box of gems. Ezra emerged from the trees, pausing briefly to take in the bizarre view. She had been directed to travel across the Tideless Lands, a ten-mile expanse of flat black earth. The lands were not truly tideless, however, for during the winter, they were covered with nearly twenty meters of treacherous water, making passage nearly impossible. During the summer months, the water drained away and merchants flowed back and forth across the safe stretches of land known as the tide roads. A small path led down the cliff next to the Tideless Lands, leading to the nearest tide road. Her roughly-cropped red hair blew about her face as she descended, held in check by her favorite pair of goggles. As she reached the bottom, Ezra gingerly stepped onto the mud flats, noting that the tide road was simply a stretch of rocks that had been exposed over time, creating a natural pathway. She set off at a walk, aiming to reach the next side by noon the next day. Night slowly fell as Ezra walked on, her boots making soft tapping noises on the grey pathway. Finally she halted for the night, slipping out of her engineering pack and laying her wrench on the ground beside her. Not bothering with a fire, she fell straight to sleep. Morning came slowly, the sun slowly peeking over the horizon, illuminating the cliffs that were barely visible on either side of the flats. Yawning loudly, Ezra got to her feet, shaking the morning bleariness from her mind. After a quick breakfast of dried rations, she set off again. She traveled another mile before encountering her first major difficulty. Now, almost seven miles into her trek, the tide road was disappearing. The rocks were fewer and farther between than they had been, and she could see that they were completely gone in almost a hundred meters. She sighed, wondering why an easy mission was too much to ask for. Wishing to preserve the integrity of her highly complex armor, she stripped it off, storing it in her pack. Then, she removed the chainmail bodysuit she had been wearing underneath it, leaving her dressed in only her smallclothes. Not that there was anyone around to see her. She replaced the heavy getup with a light tunic and shoulder wrap, leather breeches and boots covering her lower half. Hefting her pack again, she stepped tentatively onto the mud. Her first few steps were promising, resting soundly on top of the mud. A few steps later, however, the mud started to soften slightly, accepting her feet to the ankle. The mud clung to her boots, sucking in protest every time she lifted her foot. Soon, her feet were caked in nearly three inches of heavy black mud, weighing her down even more. Eventually she halted, hoping to scrape some of the mud off her boots. Laying her pack and wrench down next to her, she knelt to try and scrape some of the clinging mud from her feet. Unbeknownst to her, she had set her pack down on an abnormally soft spot of mud. Slowly it began to sink, the mud sucking it down. The wrench followed it, drawn under by the pack. When Ezra finally stood again, her boots slightly cleaner, she yelled in frustration. Her pack AND her weapon were gone, several feet under the surface of the mud. Shaking what mud she could from her hands, she strode off, wondering how this job could possibly get any worse. She soon found out. In her single-minded march for the other side, she failed to notice that the mud was quavering slightly with every step she took. Suddenly, the surface of the mud seemed to evaporate under her boot, sucking her leg down to mid-thigh. Her first thought was to free her leg, so she used her free leg as a piston, the well-toned muscles slowly freeing her trapped leg from the quicksand. The quicksand had other ideas, however. It liquified again, sucking both legs into its grip. Ezra, having no knowledge of quicksand whatsoever, pumped her legs fiercely, only to come up against a resistance that could not be defeated by sheer strength. Her hair stuck to her brow as she slowed her struggles, her legs and waist now firmly entrapped in the quicksand. The mud caressed her legs, slowly drawing her deeper into its grip. Ezra switched tactics, pushing at the mud with every ounce of strength that she had left. The mud simply accepted her hands again and again, coating them in a thick, gelatinous black goo. The surface of the mud around her was churned, but she had nothing to show for it. She continued to sink, the mud reaching for her navel and swirling around her trapped legs, pointing her toes downward and greedily swallowing her slender form. Tears of frustration leaked from her eyes, squeezed shut in an attempt to stop the flow. She rested her arms on the mud, trying to calm her fried nerves. There was no respite, however. She slipped further and further into the mud's grip, despite her vigorous struggles. She pushed backwards, temporarilly preventing her well-formed breasts from being swallowed by the quicksand. The mud liquified again, though, and she fell forwards, trapping her armb at her sides. The mud caressed her breasts gently, lifting them a bit before beginning its crawl further up her body. She strained to lift her arms from the thick mud, succeeding only in pushing herself deeper into the mud's embrace. Horrified, she realized now that the mud almost felt alive, caressing every inch of her trapped body. With one last burst of strength, she tore one arm free from the mud's tightening grip. Grasping desperately at the clasp holding her goggles in place around her head, Ezra wrenched them free, turning them so that the lenses caught the light of the hot midday sun, reflecting it so that it shone on the closest shore, nearly three miles away. Her only hope now was that someone would notice her signal and rescue her before it was too late. Surprisingly, she noticed that when she was perfectly still, the mud thickened around her, preventing her from sinking any further. Her chest was wholly and completely submerged, and breathing was extremely difficult, but she would survive... she hoped. Shielding her eyes from the blinding glare of the sun, she wondered what would get to her first: the elements or a rescuer? The sun beat down on her relentlessly, heat radiating up from the black surface of the mud. Nearly three hours later, she wondered how she was still conscious, seconds before her vision blurred and she felt herself falling, falling, the world fading to a thin prick of light and then disappearing.

An unknown amount of time later, Ezra felt a cool breeze on her cheek, accompanied by the smell of woodsmoke and freshly brewed coffee. Opening her eyes, she tried to sit, but a wave of nausea overwhelmed her and she dry heaved onto the ground beside where she was laying. A firm hand returned her to her original position, then pressed a canteen to her lips. Water flowed into her mouth, and the temptation to drink it all was nearly overwhelming. The canteen was taken away again, and Ezra fell back onto the cushion of sleep. It was day when she woke again, and this time she found that she had the strength to sit up. Then she remembered what had happened, and wondered if this was heaven. Then a voice spoke from a log next to the grey pile of embers that had been a fire. "You're awake. I found you buried to your neck in the mud flats, clenching a pair of goggles in a death grip. I assume that you used them as a signal?" Ezra nodded and turned towards the voice. The speaker was a high elf, looking completely out of place in the woods. Elegant, cream colored robes stitched with gold thread covered the elf's slender six-foot frame. He spoke again, his voice melodic. "That trick with the goggles was clever. My caravan would never have noticed you otherwise. As it was, you were mostly dead by the time I could levitate out to you." Ezra heard his words, but the general meaning was much more clear: she was alive.

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

Ahri in Quicksand
An unfortunate encounter on the Rift leads to a sticky situation.

Ahri_QS(A-020 co op).jpg

A flash of pain exploded across her back and she fell to the damp earth. The world was fuzzy for a brief moment, swirling grey clouds obscuring her vision. She then felt a pull from above, and the world came back into focus. Looking down, she saw her prone form, tails spread over her body, covering what must have been the death wound. A hulking brute of a man covered in thorny steel armor was standing over her corpse, laughing insanely. As she ascended, her essence guided by an invisible force, his laughter became less and less audible. Clouds obscured her sight again, and an icy cold enveloped her.
The cold soon dissipated, and Ahri drew a deep breath, reveling in the feeling of life. The silky red outfit she wore shimmered in the muted sunlight, barely covering her shapely body. A thick braid of hair fell over her left shoulder, its dark black color accentuated by a blood red tie similar in color to her outfit. She grimaced as she felt her ears (one of the last remaining elements of her previous life as a fox) twitch, picking up the sounds of battle not far away. Every time she was killed and reborn in the rift, she hoped desperately that something would go wrong and leave her without her ridiculous pointed ears and nine tails. She sighed and glanced down, her sizable chest partially obscuring her view of the rest of her body. Grinning impishly, she knew that at least something in her transformation all those years ago had gone right.
The sounds of battle had grown noticeably closer, and Ahri sighed. As much as she disliked it, she had been hired by one of the most influential political parties in the land to help settle a dispute with an unruly tribe from the north on the fields of justice. And so, she found herself on the Rift, the ancient battleground where political entities fought to settle their differences. Imbued with dark and ancient magic, the Rift allowed those who were slain there to walk again, born into an identical body created by some miracle of magic.
Conjuring her favorite spirit orb, a wispy blue thing that she had "borrowed" from a shopkeeper, Ahri set off towards the battlegrounds, her soft boots making very little noise on the smooth stone ground of the nexus. The massive crystal suspended in the air above the nexus flashed with scenes from the battle, muted cries of pain and rage emanating from the images. She winced as one of her comrades fell, slain by the man in the thorny armor.
The terrain changed to hard-packed dirt beneath her feet, a small cloud of dust being raised by her hurried passing. The forest around her had grown oddly silent, not a sound detectable even to her sensitive ears. Suddenly, some sixth sense directed her to spring backwards, saving her life. A huge axe crashed down where she had been standing a moment before, its dark steel blade embedded firmly in the ground. Heavy footsteps accompanied by the clank of armor heralded the coming of the same man that had killed her earlier. Ahri's eyes narrowed, and she hurled her spirit orb at him, determined to get revenge on him for killing her earlier. A bright flash filled the clearing and she glanced away, knowing that her throw had been good. She extended her hand, expecting the blue orb to return to her, as it always had.
When a long moment passed without her orb returning, Ahri glanced up, only to see the man clutching it in his mailed fist. It was shaking violently, trying to return to its caster, but the man held it in an iron grip. Startled, Ahri took a step back. No one had caught her orb before. It wasn't supposed to be possible! The man chuckled, clenching his fist. His muscles flared, and the blue ball shattered, its tiny fragments glittering briefly before vanishing into the air. Her forward confidence wavered. She could conjure another ball, but the man had already destroyed her best shot of killing him. Thinking quickly, she did what any other self-respecting wizard would do in this situation.
She ran.
Bolting quickly into the forest on her right, she felt the man's axe brush by one of her tails, the sound of maniacal laughter echoing in her ears. Desperately, she called out for one of her allies, hoping that there was someone near enough to hear her. The axe flew by her again, this time tearing her sleeve and cutting a small gash in her right arm. Heavy footsteps sounded behind her, and Ahri poured on the speed, hoping that her innate endurance would be enough to outpace this maniac.
Eventually the sound of footsteps faded, and then disappeared altogether. She broke out of her manic run, noting that she had ended up by the river that ran across the middle of the Rift. It was almost peaceful here, the distant sounds of battle obscured slightly by the flow of the river.
Ahri winced, feeling the gash in her arm now that her adrenaline had faded. The blood had mostly stopped flowing, but she could see little flecks of leaves and dirt inside the wound. She knew that she would never be able to finish the fight if her throwing arm was infected, so she approached the river, hoping to cleanse the wound.
About halfway across the riverbank, her foot sank to the ankle in the thick brown mud. Thinking nothing of it, she managed to free her foot with a loud sucking sound, and took another step. This time, she watched, mesmerized, as the top of her left boot sank beneath the mud, the brown ooze filling her boot and making it feel as though her foot was made of lead. Shaking her head, she attempted to extricate her foot and head back towards solid ground in order to find a better place to cross, but the mud had claimed her foot and refused to let it go. It seemed to stretch as she tried to pull away, her calf locked within its hold.
Unbeknownst to the befuddled Ahri, her struggles had loosened the mud to an alarming degree. On her next pull, her right leg sank into the mire as well. Now slightly worried, she attempted to free her recently sunk foot, but the mud had already filled her boot and was holding her leg firmly in its soft grip. When she pulled, instead of her foot coming free, she forced herself to sink slightly deeper, a large bubble bursting and spattering her legs with mud. She continued to struggle, desperately trying to free even one of her legs from the mud's grip. The mud jiggled slightly with her struggles, holding her fast and gradually pulling more and more of her shapely legs into its soft hold.
Her knees immobilized beneath the mud, Ahri finally stopped, breathless. The bottom hem of her skimpy outfit was just brushing the surfaced of the churned mud, the silky fabric covered with mud splatters. She gathered her breath in preparation for a cry for help, but then abruptly stopped herself when she remembered who might still be nearby. She wouldn't want to attract the wrong kind of attention.
Quietly, she resumed her efforts to free herself, her gyrations causing the mud to ripple and slap wetly against the tops of her thighs. She gasped slightly as the cool mud contacted her crotch, the sensation at once enthralling and terrifying. Her tails were now matted with mud, but she didn't care. She was still sinking, and fast. The mud burbled slightly as it swallowed her slender hips, feeling almost alive as it swirled around her trapped lower body, drawing her further and further into its embrace. Glancing briefly at her perfect, cobalt blue nails, she thrust her hands into the mud, hoping to push herself free, or at least halt her descent.
Nothing happened. Her sleeves were caked with the thick mud, clinging wetly to her arms. Ahri leaned forwards, grasping with mud-covered hands at the reeds lining the riverbank, her bust hanging slightly over the mud. A sudden flurry of bubbles beneath her caused her to drop suddenly, her chest dropping into the mud as she leaned over. Standing bolt upright again, she felt the mud slowly pulling her further and further in, even though she wasn't moving. Only the tips of her tails were visible above the mud now, their bulk acting as an anchor, dragging her down. She redoubled her efforts to push herself free, even seeming to make some progress, the sucking mud relinquishing its hold for a brief moment before it pulled her back in.
A feeling of terror welled up inside of her as her breasts were lifted slightly by the mud, almost pulling free of her outfit. Her arms outstretched at her sides, she could only watch as the cool mud slid up her bust, caressing her and filling her cleavage. Ahri tried for one last push out, managing to free her bust before the mud liquified and she sank again, her arms firmly trapped at her sides. She struggled valiantly, twisting her barely mobile upper body in a futile attempt to break the mud's hold. The thick mud was pressing heavily on her chest, her braid laying on the top of the mud, starting to sink.
Finally, not caring who heard her, she cried out for help. Her eyes darted around, hoping desperately that someone would break from the trees and save her from this humiliating death. The instant she was preparing to try again, the mud burbled again, and her mouth sank beneath the surface, her cry reduced to a small, almost inaudible whimper. The bushes parted at the edge of the river, and Ahri's eyes widened. Would she be saved? A feeling of dread filled her as she saw the man from earlier emerge from the weeds and squat on the riverbank, but the dread quickly changed to hope when she saw a coil of rope dangling from one hand.
One last burst of strength allowed Ahri to get a hand above the surface of the mud, reaching out to the man on the riverbank. Her heart soared as she saw him toss the rope, only to have him retract it at the last second. Whatever feeling of hope she may have had shattered, the man repeatedly throwing the rope into her reach before immediately retracting it. He was laughing, Ahri noticed, her eyes wide. She took a deep breath, the mud gurgling as it prepared to swallow her once and for all. She stared at the man on the riverbank as her nose disappeared beneath the mud, allowing every ounce of hatred she possessed to fill her gaze. She watched him until the mud claimed her eyes, rapidly pulling her down into its depths to finish the job. She experienced a brief moment of peace as her ears were finally submerged, the mud holding her gently in complete silence and darkness.
Finally, she exhaled, her body desperately in need of oxygen. Before she could feel the mud enter her mouth, she blacked out. The man on the riverbank smirked as he watched the bubbles pop thickly on the surface, the only evidence of a desperate struggle visible in the churned mud of the riverbank.

fin.

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

The Experiment
Miriel gets a little too excited about research, and the crown princess of Ylisse takes a dip...
It was the peak of summer, and the sun beat mercilessly down on a ragged column of marching soldiers, well-worn and battered armor plates abstractly reflecting the bright sunlight. Chrom and his company of Shepherds led the company, their group slightly detached from the common soldiers. An unusual pall of silence hung over the band, the good-natured banter and camaraderie worn out of them by the long march and the heat of the sun on their armor and robes. Lucina rode towards the front of the whole procession, near to her father, Chrom. Through a fluke of time travel (a story best left for another day), she was only a few years younger than he, and had saved his life on several occasions already. She sighed softly and wiped her brow, displacing a few rogue strands of hair that had fallen down into her eyes after slipping free of the conservative gold circlet that held most of her hair in place. Her slight and yet modestly curvy form was drenched in sweat, her navy blue garb and lord's cloak proving to be incompatible with the bright, direct sunlight. For a fleeting second she considered stripping and riding in her bikini, but she immediately dismissed the absurd idea, a small laugh escaping her as she thought of her companion's reactions to seeing the crown princess of Ylisse traipsing about half naked. From her position at Chrom's right, Robin glanced over at Lucina, wondering if the heat had gotten to the princess's head. Lucina took no notice, her gaze having returned to the space of ground immediately in front of her horse, her thoughts lost in a haze of heat.
Sometime later, Chrom called a halt, Lucina nearly sliding off the front of her horse as it obediently stepped in next to Chrom's steed. Snapping awake, she readjusted her crown and dismounted, glad to be finished with the day's march. Glancing about, she noted that they had halted next to a wide expanse of trees that stretched off for some distance on either side of the road, which continued onwards into the mottled shade of the forest. Lucina turned as she heard footsteps behind her, he hand falling instinctively to the hilt of Falchion, her sword. She relaxed as she realized that it was only Robin, looking none the worse for wear after the march.
"I was going to ask you to help set up our tent, but you look terrible." Robin had a concerned expression on her face, and was looking Lucina up and down. "Go ahead and find some shade to lie down in. I'll come find you for supper." Lucina nodded blearily, glancing back at the forest. A cool bath would be nice, she thought. Unfortunately, she hadn't seen any easily accessible water sources on their march. Resolving that there had to be water somewhere in the forest, Lucina set out for the tree line. She made it almost twenty meters before she heard the thundering of hooves behind her. Frederic, she thought. Why can't he lay off for a while? I know how to protect myself. Does he never rest? Chrom's personal bodyguard, Frederic had made it his personal oath since his early days among the Shepherds to guard the royal bloodline with his life. While good intentioned, his care was sometimes stifling.
"My lady!" Lucina halted, turning to face the knight. Perched on a massive steed and clad in a huge suit of shining armor, Frederic cut quite a figure. Most of the time, his mere presence was enough to frighten off the common thieves and bandits that constantly harassed the army. "I cannot allow you to wander off on your own, princess. It would be too great a temptation for those who wish ill upon you. This country cannot stand to lose another of exalted blood... It would be too much. If you must go, take someone with you. I must remain here and maintain watch over your father." He guided his horse around so that he could see back towards the gradually appearing campsite. "MIRIEL!" he bellowed, his powerful voice carrying easily over the general din. Somewhere towards the middle of the camp, a black pointed hat sprung into view, sticking well above the soldiers and the slowly appearing tents, even with a bend near its center. It bobbed rapidly towards Frederic, its bearer not yet visible. Lucina had heard of Miriel, but had not really gotten to know the red-haired mage. Miriel's razor sharp mind was known to everyone, however, and those unfortunate enough to be in her vicinity when an idea came into her head were usually dragged in as test subjects.
Miriel at last arrived, and Lucina got a good look at the mage. Dressed entirely in black, her red hair was cropped extremely close to the sides of her face, framing sharp features and a pair of spectacles that glinted brightly in the sun. She peered at Lucina over the rims of her glasses, Lucina almost able to feel the intensity of her gaze.
"I am to watch over the princess, correct?" Miriel said as Frederick opened his mouth to speak. "Excelsior! I have been meaning to acquaint myself with you properly for some time, princess, but the opportune moment never presented itself." Lucina nodded, slightly put off by something in the wizard's voice. Something... hungry, almost.
Frederick seemed not to notice and nodded, guiding his mount back towards the general direction of the camp. "You are not to allow the princess to leave your sight, Miriel. Understood?" The mage nodded, her black cap waving slightly. "And no experiments! The consequences will be dire if I find that the princess has been harmed in any way." With that threat hanging over the two women, Frederick spurred his horse away, his armor clanking slightly as he returned to the camp. Miriel frowned and adjusted her glasses. "Glad to see that our foremost knight has such faith in a wizard of my capability." Turning to Lucina, Miriel nodded towards the forest. "Shall we depart, princess? The day grows long, and it would be an understatement to say that we both need a bath." A smile tugged at the corners or Miriel's mouth as she spoke.
How did she know what I was thinking? Thought Lucina as they made their way away from the camp. Slightly put off, Lucina allowed the silence to stretch between them for some time. They were well into the forest by the time Miriel spoke again, gesturing into the thick underbrush to the right of the road. "The animal tracks have been consistently travelling to the right across our path, princess. Logic would dictate that there is a source of water nearby in that direction." Lucina nodded. She had noticed the tracks as well, but her exhausted condition did little to help in deducing their meaning. Gingerly, she stepped off the road and onto a thin track that ran in a meandering curve farther into the woods, away from the road. Miriel followed suit, sidestepping thorns that threatened to snag her robes at every step. Now in single file, Miriel and Lucina continued down the track, each passing the time with idle questions about the other.
Eventually, the narrow track widened and the thick shrubbery thinned significantly, affording the companions a view of a rocky outcrop surrounded by a surprisingly clear pool of water. Wondering how the water could be so clear, but deciding to leave the question for later, Lucina bounded towards the outcropping, unbuckling her sword belt as she went. Falchion thudded to the ground as she scaled one side of the monolithic outcropping, her fatigue temporarily forgotten. Vaulting onto the top of the rock, Lucina peered over the edge, taken by how clearly she could see the bottom. Miriel remained off to one side, scribbling fiercely in a book she had produced from somewhere in her robes. Lucina glanced over in her guardian's general direction, and seeing no signs of being stopped, leapt off the edge of the rock, gracefully spinning into a dive as she fell, landing in the water with a splash.
Miriel glanced up, arching an eyebrow. "That was reckless, princess." She scribbled another note in her book. "Do be careful. I wouldn't want you to injure yourself." Lucina had not heard, as she had immediately dived under to retrieve her crown, which had fallen off during her dive. Gasping, Lucina burst to the surface, clutching the gold diadem in one hand. Kicking rapidly to shore, Lucina stood on the bank and deposited her crown next to her discarded blade. Then, temporarily forgetting that she was not alone, she slowly began to discard her clothing, reveling in the strange sensation of the wet fabric pulling away from her skin. Her thigh boots went first, followed by her gloves. Soon after, her cloak fell to the ground. Unbuckling and unfastening the myriad of clips and buttons that held her armored top together, Lucina allowed the toughened garment to drop with a thud to the grassy floor of the clearing and took a deep breath. Clad only in a long sleeved, skintight tunic and long stockings, Lucina paused only briefly before stripping out of those as well, leaving her in a navy blue bra and panties, each highlighted with delicate gold patterning around the edges. The cool wind felt glorious against her bare skin, her drying hair hanging coolly against the small of her back.
Ignoring Miriel's slight gasp, Lucina stepped into the water again, leaving a small wake behind her as she moved slowly towards the center of the pool, her body slowly disappearing beneath the surface of the water. Well before she reached the center, Lucina's feet left the bottom as it continued to fall away, even though the clarity of the water made it seem as though the bottom was directly underfoot. Now directly in the center of the pool, Lucina stretched herself out and floated on the surface, listening to the gentle breeze and the birds chirping. Her mind wandered as she closed her eyes, wondering what Miriel was frantically taking notes about. Had she gotten another one of her ideas?
In fact, she had. Miriel had noticed the clarity of the spring was due to a small burbling spring on the opposite side of the clearing, almost concealed behind another outcropping of rocks. The earth around the spring shone strangely, and Miriel had been waiting for a good moment to investigate. Now, with Lucina practically asleep on the water, Miriel quickly walked over to the spot, noting observations in her book with a tiny, cramped script born from years of writing quickly. In fact, the last five pages had been filled with this script during this outing alone, most of it about Lucina. Notes on her physique and demeanor were predominant, as well as a rather detailed, if sketchy, image of the princess clad only in her smallclothes. Originally the drawing had been nude, in line with the rest of the anatomical studies in her books, but she had amended it to contain the undergarments after figuring that Chrom would be rather upset if he found such a drawing of his daughter. Casting the drawing from her mind, she focused on the ground in front of her, prodding it with a thin stick she had found nearby. While it appeared to be mud, it did not behave as such, its surface flexing and springing back beneath the pressure of the twig. Miriel jabbed the mud sharply, watching the bizarre fluid quiver and ripple with a strange fascination. Suddenly, the idea that had been brewing in the back of her mind since her arrival clicked into existence. Setting her book down off to the side, Miriel chose a large rock from the edge of the lagoon and tossed it to the far side of the spring, watching as it bounced briefly on the surface of the mud before settling down, sinking quickly into the mud after a short delay. Miriel's mind reeled with possibilities for experimentation, the unknown substance before her demanding to be studied. In her wild deliberation, Miriel's gaze happened to alight on Lucina, who was still floating at the center of the pond. Suddenly all other ideas fell from her mind. She had a human test subject right here. A human trial would gather extremely conclusive evidence as to the properties of this substance. Grinning wickedly, she began to scrawl in her book again, working out the theoretical calculations of her experiment to ensure that the princess would not meet an untimely end during the test.
Lucina started awake, realizing that she had dozed off. Something was wrong. Splashing to the edge of the pond, she hurried towards the place where she had originally deposited her sword, digging around in her clothes for Falchion's hilt. Finding it, she drew the blade and stood. Gripping the sword loosely in one hand, Lucina gazed warily around the clearing, searching for the source of her discomfort. After a brief moment, a piercing scream rang through the clearing. Miriel. The scream had originated from the far side of the clearing, in the shrubbery beyond a small patch of rocks. Neglecting to don any sort of protective gear or clothing of any sort, Lucina raced towards the sound, crossing the clearing with a series of short bounds, her sword trailing behind her. Her senses both heightened and deafened by adrenaline, Lucina skidded to a halt next to the patch of rocks, her eyes flicking over every inch of cover in front of her, searching for any threat. In reality, the only threat was directly beneath her feet. In her battle ready state, Lucina failed to notice the small puddles that were appearing around her feet, the mud's surface flexing to a greater and greater degree as Lucina's weight pushed her downwards into the rapidly yielding earth.
Lucina's concentration snapped as her footing gave out from beneath her, her feet breaking through the surface of the mud and sliding together, effectively binding her legs together at the calf. Acting on instinct, Lucina forced her right foot upwards in an attempt to restore her balance and free herself from the mire. Instead the mud seemed to grab onto her even tighter, holding her legs together with an iron grip. Sticking Falchion point first into the ground within easy reach, Lucina reached down and pulled on her right leg, attempting to move it even an inch against the unnatural suction of the mud. Nothing happened other than a new spout of water appearing around her legs, more water welling up to thin the mire. Releasing her leg, Lucina stood again, a feeling of uncertainty building in her as she realized that she was not only stuck, but sinking as well. She could feel herself slowly sliding down into the muck, the uncomfortable sensation of mud between her toes sending a shiver up her spine. Lucina pulled strongly on her other leg, managing to pull it upwards, but pulling the mud with it as well, the surface of the mud clinging to her calf, refusing to let it go. For a moment her concentration lapsed, and her leg slipped from her grasp, the mud greedily pulling it back down and gripping it even tighter. The mud around her rippled from the movement, its surface quivering long after Lucina stopped moving again. By now Lucina suspected that Miriel was not in trouble at all; it had been a ruse to lure her into this mudpit. But why? One of her experiments? An assassination attempt? Her descent had quickened dramatically, the mud molding around her knees as she continued to sink. Now unable to get a decent grip on her legs, Lucina resorted to brute force, hoping to overpower the mire and free one of her legs. Furiously pumping her legs up and down, Lucina tried desperately to free herself before she was forced to stop as the mud locked her knees in place, a sheen of sweat on her forehead. Her struggles had had the opposite effect, forcing her deeper into the mud's grip rather than releasing her. More water had appeared on the surface of the mud, liquefying it and allowing it to slap wetly against her legs in the aftermath of her struggles. Her uncertainty from earlier was beginning to change to panic as she watched her thighs slowly disappear into the morass, pulled down by the gripping mud.
Before she could begin struggling again however, Miriel stepped out from her hiding place in the shrubbery nearby. Her book was in her hands, and the pencil had been whittled to a tiny stub. Discarding the old utensil, Miriel drew another one from her cloak and stared appraisingly at Lucina. "Fascinating. You're doing extremely well. This is positively thrilling!" Lucina stared at the mage, aghast. This was an experiment! Her predicament temporarily forgotten, Lucina felt her panic change to anger, but before she could speak, Miriel held up a finger. "I can free you very quickly, but first I need you to do something more for me." Lucina felt the mud slowly begin to encircle her slender waist, and she felt the panic welling up again. She forced it down, however, remembering what had happened when she had struggled against the mud. Miriel crouched down so that her gaze was level with Lucina's. "First, tell me how you feel."
Lucina forced herself to speak against the rising fear in her gut. Anything to get out of here. "It's... cold, heavy, and it feels like it's weighing on me, pulling me into it, even when I'm not moving." Miriel's pencil flew as she recorded Lucina's response. Lucina felt herself sink even further, and instinctively swayed her hips in the mud in an attempt to alleviate the feeling of the thick mud pressing against her navel. To her utter shock and horror, the movement was accompanied by a wave of pleasure from her crotch. An involuntary moan escaped her.
Miriel's head snapped up. "What?"
Lucina's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide. "It felt... good." she said, her voice small. Miriel's eyes widened and she began to scribble again, twice as fast.
"Where did you feel it?"
"Where do you think?" Lucina experimentally swayed in the mud again, and experienced the same shocking sensation.
Miriel glanced up again. "Remember that you have nothing to fear. I can free you immediately. I have what data I wanted, so if you wish for my aid, I am here." Following this she closed her eyes and began to chant softly under her breath.
Lucina paused while she deliberated. Deciding, she told Miriel to stop. The mage looked up, surprised. "Are you sure? I..." Miriel glanced around, as though Frederick was going to come bounding through the trees as any moment to lop her head off for using Lucina as a test subject.
"It's all right, Miriel. I..." She paused. "I need this." The future Lucina originally hailed from was completely devoid of any pleasures, much less sexually charged ones. And since activity such as that was something of a taboo in the Shepherd camp, this was an alien experience for Lucina. "I trust you to keep this secret." Lucina was blushing fiercely as she looked at Miriel, her normal shell of stoicism and strength dropping away.
Her cheeks nearly as red as her hair, Miriel turned away and walked to the opposite side of the clearing, where they had originally entered.
Lucina returned her attentions to the mud, which felt very different to her now that she knew that she had a certain escape route. Placing her palms flat on the surface, Lucina experimentally thrust herself upwards, the soft morass allowing her just enough movement to experience that same shock of pleasure again. She settled back into the mud, sunk slightly more into the mud's gooey embrace, almost to her bust. Resting her arms on the surface, Lucina carefully rotated her hips, allowing the mud to slide in and out of her panties and across her clit, a slow wave of pleasure building itself inside her. Almost unconsciously, her left hand slid to her breast and her right hand slid down into the mire, each adding to her stimulation. Her gyrations gradually increased, sending ripples of mud across the surface and back to splatter on her bra and chest. This was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. The loosened mud drew her downwards into itself, accepting her breasts readily, cupping their roundness before pulling them down into its caressing hold. Lucina was keenly aware that she was at the mud's mercy now, one hand trapped at her crotch stroking her clit and the other pinned to her breast. Slowly the mud slipped inside the fabric of her bra to join her hand in its task, the firm hold of the mud stroking every inch of her nubile form. Using what little mobility was left to her, she stimulated herself more and more, her neck slowly vanishing into the mud as her movements caused her to sink faster. Her hair was fanned on the surface behind her, remaining there briefly before the mud began to claim that too, the hair's weight as well as Lucina's struggles causing it to sink. Lucina increased her tempo, knowing that Miriel would be over soon to pull her from the mud's grasp. Her tension mounted as she tilted her head back for more air, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she neared her climax. Then, it happened. A massive wave of pleasure rocked her body, blotting out all her other senses. It was followed by several more, each more intense than the last. Her gasps of ecstasy were cut short as her mouth submerged, followed by her nose. As the waves of pleasure from her orgasm subsided, the entirety of her body submerged beneath the mud, held perfectly still in utter silence, Lucina dimly wondered if Miriel was still going to save her.
Before she could black out, a strong force pulled her upwards, dissolving the death grip that the mud had on her. Lucina drew a huge breath, allowing the force to pull her completely from the mud and deposit her roughly on the ground next to the lagoon. Wiping what mud she could from her face, Lucina opened her eyes to see Miriel with a magic tome floating in front of her. "I hope that was worth it, princess," Miriel said somewhat coldly as Lucina slowly picked herself up and made her way to the water, smiling slightly.
Miriel was just jealous.

To be continued...?

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

There you have it! All of my stories to date are now present on this forum for your reading pleasure!
Enjoy!

[DJlurker]

Yes! Thank you so much for this! I loved your Lucina story, and I'm very happy to see it again!!

[PM2K]

Nice ones indeed! Thanks for reposting them.