Ember and Belladonna
#8 of Ester Series
Ember and Belladonna By TerraMGP ((Ester, Diana, Ember and Belladonna are all my original creations and copyrighted to me. Please do not use them or redistribute this story without consent. This is the Eight story in the Ester series, preceded by The Ropes and followed by The Big Question. Comments always adored.)) Belladonna let out another sigh as she looked out on the sun as it sank over the dusty trail leading to Valport. It had been almost a day since Beatrix and the others had gone off for supplies leaving the young mouse behind to guard their camp from any scavengers or animals. Of course it made sense really, considering the reputation that Valport had for pickpockets and thieves. A small mouse with lots of pockets and satchels would be easy pickings for such common thugs to take advantage of. Naturally they could not leave her alone though, which Belladonna remembered once more as she turned back from the road and walked to her usual spot by the campfire where Ember was whittling a stick with one of her daggers. It had not been so long ago that Belladonna had looked on to the young chipmunk with a bit of distrust. After all they had hired her specifically for one job and she stuck around for little other reason than a share of the treasure., or at least that was what she had told them at first. "Oh come on. Your not going to start pouting again are you?" Ember laughed and put the dagger away before scooting up closer to the mouse and wrapping an arm around the Artificer. "You know if I didn't know any better I would be at least a little put off. Seriously what's a girl supposed to think with you whining on and on about being left behind with me hmm?" Belladonna started to blush a bit at what she could only describe to be beautifully cruel teasing. It was true the two of them had become an item rather quickly. That didn't mean she was used to the fact though and all this talk of the two being alone quickly caused the nervous girl to squirm off to the side trying to wriggle away. This of course was stopped by a quick grasp around her hair as the Rogue pulled her prey in close once more. "Oh come on now do you really expect to avoid getting grappled like this cutie? " Ember laughed. "Besides this is the first chance we have gotten to be alone in over a week. I think we should take advantage of it." Belladonna looked down at the burned out pit where the group usually built their camp fire, slowly and nervously pushing back into the chipettes arms. "S-sorry... I don't mean to.. Well, I didn't want to upset you Ember. I'm just sick of always being left behind when the others go off for supplies. Why can't I go into town once in a while? I've been doing this for a while now. Its not like I can't look after myself." Ember scoffed a bit and gave the poor Artificer a kiss on her cheek. "I think we both know why you can't go Belladonna. Like it or not your just not that perceptive. As soon as the pickpockets see you in that town they are going to pounce. You just ooze helpless little target after all Belladonna. Even if I didn't know how utterly horrible you are at listen checks..." she chuckled softly leaning in and forcing a slow, hard kiss against her little lovers lips before Belladonna had a chance to so much as react. Those trembling lips against hers felt nice, but Ember had to admit part of her was thrilled by the knowledge of just what she could do to her lover should she feel the urge. It would have taken the exact same amount of effort to simply pin the poor girl down and, well, from there she just had so many ideas. The Artificer could feel it somehow. That grip tightened around her and the lip lock was just a tiny bit more aggressive than what she had been used to. She began to pull herself back and forced the kiss to break whimpering loudly. "Ember please... This is still going real fast. I'm really not... not used to this." The poor girl folded her ears back and started to whimper again with a sinking nervousness growing in the pit of her stomach. Ember slowly started to move a hand around to fiddle with one of the many belts that held her little victims robes, meeting almost no real resistance from the simpering mouse. "Ember I know we shared a kiss once or twice, and I really like you. I just don't know if Mmmph." Suddenly one of the pouches was yanked free of the now loosened belt and jammed unceremoniously into Belladonnas muzzle. The shock at her air supply suddenly being cut off coupled with Embers gleefully malevolent gaze left her stunned and far too off guard as Ember finished tying the makeshift gag off and moaned softly. "There we go. You know Belladonna I sure seem to be saving that furry little rear of yours a lot these days. Ever since I joined up with you guys it seems like you have to play the damsel in distress. I think it's about time I collect a little something for my efforts." For a moment the Mousette was terrified that perhaps Ember would snatch up some of the treasure kept around the camp and take off. She watched one strong slender paw reaching down towards her midsection again, and then without warning it slipped beneath her robes taking a painfully hard squeeze at the gagged girls rump. The fear of being tied up and robbed was now replaced with the fear of being bound up and subjected to something far more humiliating. "Heh I'm glad I took that feat to do nonleathal sneak attack damage cutie, because Your going to be flat footed for a good long while." Without further warning Belladonna found herself shoved down hard against another nearby stump as Ember held her down and started to rifle though those enchanted pouches and pockets. "So what exactly do you have here that would be fun to use my dear? One of those wands you are always pulling out? Or maybe something nice and strong to bind you up" she said pushing a paw deep into one pocket to the quiet muffled screams of her poor little party member even as she withdrew a blue wand with silver accents looking it over a bit. "Well now I wonder what this does exactly. Maybe we should test it out. Its not one of those harmful ones that will blow us up now is it?" she asked holding it in front of Belladonna who quickly shook her head from side to side. "Heh good. I really hope your being honest about that one, Because I don't feel like digging for a raise dead scroll." Before she knew what was happening Belladonna could feel something long and pointy slowly sliding against her pucker, forcing it apart from the blunt end and being forced deeper and deeper without any sign of care for the tight virgin opening. Belladonna started to squirm around like mad weeping as the pain shot though her rear as it danced and wriggled trying to get away. "Come on now stop squirming so much. Its not that bad. You know if I pulled out a rod it would be a lot worse wouldn't it?" Ember moaned again in sadistic glee as she reaffirmed her pin and kept moving the makeshift toy in and out wiggling the wand around. "Take it out of me, please it hurts. Y-you can't do this. I'll tell Beatrix." The Chipette blinked and just moved back a little bit. She quickly gave the bag that gagged her plaything a few tugs to make sure it was kept in place. "Get this thing out of my mouth." the voice came again to Embers continued surprise. "It tastes horrible, and that wand in my butt hurts so much. You can‘t do this" For a second Ember had to really think about how she was hearing her prey though the gag. Curiously she reached back down to grab the tip of the wand, driving it in deep and hard. She was rewarded with the sound of both a muffled scream into the bag and a clear, ringing one echoing though her mind. All the gears clicked into place now as Diana finally realized just what was going on. "Oh I see, this is a Telepathy wand isn't it? I should have known really, all you spell casters seem to associate blue with the mind for some reason. That's why I used to charge extra for robbing a Wizard with Divination focus. So freaking tacky." This was small comfort to Belladonna as another of her pouches was open, this time she could feel something thicker and more substantial being pulled out moments before her paw was pushed against the stump and pinned hard between the bark and a solid cylinder pushing against her wrist. "Now these I know. Immovable rods, oh so very useful." Ember placed another at the opposite wrist, then one between each ankle and the ground leaving the poor Artificer totally exposed and vulnerable. "So lets see what we have so far. We have a poor, bound little mousie all pinned to a stump, with four rods holding her in place. I think that constitutes flat footed. Better still your gagged so you can't use any of your infusions, or activate items, or call for help." Ember took a moment to step back and really enjoy the sight of her struggling, sobbing handiwork with an air of contentment. "Aren't you glad you talked me into catching up my ranks in use magic device last level? I'll admit that I was skeptical about it, but it sure comes in handy." With that little barb Ember once again started to pace around the stump before rustling around in another bag to see what she could find. That simple prospect of what could be found was the thing that scared poor Belladonna most. She struggled once more to push the bag out of her mouth or get a tooth against the small chord that was now wrapped securely around her head. "Ember seriously you don‘t know what you could do with these things. This is really really dangerous. Please let me go. Please before something really bad happens." The pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears as Ember picked up another rod from the bag and started to laugh softly. It was not until she saw what was being pulled out that Belladonna really started to panic, twisting and pulling against the rods with another soft whimper. "Ember please don't. You can't do this. Not with those" She watched as Ember just arranged a few rods, wands and other such odds and ends that Belladonna knew all too well. Ember soon smirked and chose one of the rods, starting to push the smoothed end into herself with a small moan of pleasure making sure that the rods owner could fully see her push it in. "Oh this is so nice. Tell me Mousie you want to try it too? I don't think I could take in the other end." Belladonna went rigid at the mention of this. It was bad enough with the wand inside of her, feeling totally helpless and powerless as the Rogue slowly paced around her to give Belladonna a nice show. "That's right. Its going inside of you cutie. I figured its only fair. You know what they say happens when those damsels in distress get saved right? The savior gets to carry her off, and then the two fall deeply in love after a nice little night of passion. Lucky for you nobody ever said the damsel had to be willing now did they?" Slowly one of Embers fingers ran its way up and down the trapped mousies spine. "Lets see, I'm willing to guess you have about one hundred and forty four hit points by now right? All nice and rested up? And I know you don't have much of a constitution score now do you sweetie? Well then I suppose that I will have to keep all those precious little figures in my head if I want to make this nice little bit of alone time extra romantic." Another wand was picked up from the small stack Ember had drawn out, leaving Belladonna to sob softly in terror. Even with all of the fear and terror she still had a clear enough head to know what Ember was doing. What was worse she recognized the wand that had just been picked up, and had a feeling she knew what rod was too. The small Rogue just laughed softly and chanted a few words before discharging the spell into the rod, causing another whimper of terror. "Your, you won't do what I think your going to do, will you Ember? Please you can't do that to me. Its just, its too cruel. I was just..." The telepathic pleading was quickly replaced by another small set of pathetic whimpers. There really was no point in trying to beg anymore, things were just too far beyond her control. Slowly, sensually, the thick hard rod was moved up and down along the shockingly moist folds murring at the pure terror and helplessness of the girl she had slowly been growing closer to. "Come on cutie you've never seen the Book of Erotic Fantasy? You had to have known that I liked you, and that I was a bit of a sadist." Again the rubbing just moved along slowly to drive up her arousal laying against her and licking at her mousies ear. "I think though that it is about time I make this little relationship official. Sneak attack, darling." Before Belladonna could react, she felt those hips pushing forward. Every inch of her body jolted with pain as the thick and overly large rod was jammed carelessly deep into her virgin folds. Every nub, every curve, even the girth itself seemed to cause horrifically painful by the time the shaft had wormed its way in the odd shape had already forced her to twist and squirm around, body twisting as the rod actually pushed at her cervix and started to force its way in. Worse still the rod chose this moment it seemed to trigger its spell, feeling every nerve jumping to life and screaming out with pure unbridled agony. "Oh gods above that is so heavenly" Ember moaned as she sat there, the rod now buried deep in Belladonnas womb and the symbol of pain spell having just triggered leaving her newly claimed lover totally helpless and wracked in agony. Ember leaned down once more and whispered slowly into the girls ear. "You like that cutie? I hope so. Thankfully I only deal nonlethal damage, and I gave up all those extra damage die for my little ambush feat that lets me do bleeding damage instead. Of course I'm sure I don't have to tell you that do I?" Belladonna shook her head frantically as the uncontrollable wringing of agonizing screams shot though Embers mind unrestrained by the usual limits of vocal chords or sound itself. She gave the lingering agony a few more moments before she started to pull out, still grinding her firm pert C cups and the leather armor that held them hard against the soft silk robes her lover wore. "now then little Belladonna, I think I'm ready to move on now that I've savored this moment." The shaft was slowly pulled out in order to allow the mouse to tighten up a bit. However to both girls amazement Belladonnas ravaged and pained nethers quickly began to contract and heal over, slowly returning to the pristine condition even to the point of reforming her delicate maidenhood. The lingering pain sadly did not stop, and this only made the whole experience more terrifying and perplexing to the helpless girl who now struggled as much as her weak body would allow trying to bolt away from any continued torment. "What happened? What did you do to me Ember? What did you use on me?" Ember herself was rather unsure of what had transpired at this point, not having thought to get any items that would do something so drastic so quickly, not that she had really thought Belladonna would even have such a device. As the Artificer calmed down though she slowly began to look around once more and noticed the ring resting on one of her fingers. She instantly realized what must have happened to her, but in doing so it seemed she had alerted her tormenter to the same fact. "Oh I see, so its that ring of regeneration you have. Wow, I had no idea those things worked that way. Now I don't even have to hold back do I sweetheart?" part of Belladonna winced at the way Ember said that, but the truth was that deep down some small but important part of her soul was thrilled to know the Rogue loved her so. Unfortunately she did not get much of a chance to ponder this. Once again Ember took the liberty of her conquests' body filling the now spent rod into her body once more and growling out softly. "And another sneak attack." For the second time Belladonna felt her insides screaming in pain body ripping inside again and struggling to heal around the shaft causing even more pain. Belladonna squirmed, she twisted, she sobbed and gasped under Ember as the pain grew worse and worse. Still it served to do little more than amuse the cruel Chipmunk girl before she again pulled out and thrust the makeshift toy back in again, and again, and again. Soon the thrusting had taken on its own agonizing rhythm accompanied only by the repeated thrusting, the repeated cracking and the repeated reminders that each thrust was indeed a sneak attack, and was indeed going to be healed once more only to be made anew. Each time the pattern repeated Ember would quiver and shake with bliss feeling the impact jarring her own clutching milking sex and feeling that arousal amplified a thousand fold by the telepathic screams of the poor delicate mousie below her. All accompanied by the knowledge that she no longer had to hold back, to keep herself disciplined. It would take so much to knock the poor girl out at this point she could simply continue her torturous assault unabated. For Belladonna mercy was thus denied for what seemed hours to her. Only the loud and shattering throws of a powerful orgasm from Ember brought the constant torment to an abrupt and jarring halt. The weight of the bigger, stronger and still armored girl collapsing on her was quite a discomfort to the magic bound mouse but nothing in comparison to the strange and painful agony she had been subjected to repeatedly by this wicked woman. After this point Ember seemed content to revel in the afterglow of her conquest. She sat up a moment to yank the want out of the far reaches of Belladonnas nethers where it had managed to find itself, and then proceeded to pull at the knots holding the small bag in her muzzle. "It seems I was not the only one to enjoy that little experience Artificer. It really is not that surprising though considering all of those shy glances and nervous words you've given me. Every time you try to look away to clean your spectacles After caught your eyes lingering where they should not be. You knew what you wanted, and you know what kind of girl I am. It was only a matter of time before it came to this now wasn't it? I try to be good after all, but there is only so much a girl can do to keep away from her nature. If I can‘t steal or mug anymore, I should at least be able to keep one little hobby from my old life." Belladonna started to respond as best as a breathless mouse could, but stopped short the second she felt a strong paw reaching down into her robes and starting to play lazily with one of her small, pert breasts. She tried to pull away once more but it seemed that the mousette was both too well restrained and too tired for even a token resistance to be of much use. Not that Ember seemed to mind this, instead just amusing herself by licking at the edge of Belladonnas ear and slowly pinching her nipple between soft lazy kneads of the poor girls breast flesh. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ok what in the world was that?" Ester gasped. She had done her best to try and go along with the whole Campaign Idea, but this was just going off in all kinds of odd directions. "Diana I know its your first time, but this is kind of, well its embarrassing. I mean Its kind of hard to keep in character when you, well I mean you did just... do it, with Bella right?" She swallowed hard at the mention of what just happened to her character. Diana had of course warned her that the little private campaign they were running might get a bit odd, but this had to be the absolute last thing she had ever expected. Diana naturally just went though her precious new book once more and started to chuckle a bit as she thumbed though the small assortment of magic items. She went into this expecting the whole situation to confound Ester a little, but then the very fact that her love had yet to genuinely freak out or call the game off was a very good sign though. Actually Diana felt quite proud of how well she had been keeping Ember from seeming too plastic or out there, but at the same time every single moment she spent tormenting the fictitious little mouse was a moment she pictured those photos again, and her little Ester, and the things she hoped to do one day. But for now the simple joy of tormenting Ester and watching her squirm was more than enough to tide her over. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It took quite a while before the pain managed to subside, at least to the point where she could function. The symbol still had its wicked potency but otherwise her abused body had managed to get over the stinging agony of the assault. What was surprising though was how tender Ember seemed to be now that she had finished having her little bout of fun. She had not let the poor girl up but at the same time she seemed quite content to slowly pet the poor mousies body and force her into kiss after claiming, passionate kiss. "Ember why.... Why did you do that? That hurt bad, a-and you could have done something that hurt both of us bad." in place of a response the Chipette stood and smirked waling over to her tent and cutting off a few strips of rope from the spool beside it. Belladonna watched in terror and started to pull back quickly wrists aching as they strained to slip past the affixed metal rods holding her down. "Please you already, well, took me. Do you really have to do more? I‘m so tired, a-and you know that something really bad could happen. These things aren‘t toys." she gasped softly. Once again the Artificer found a paw wrapping around her hair and pulling her head back up into a new, hard kiss. That demanding pink muscle that was Embers tongue forcing its way into her muzzle and slowly rolling from side to side pushing her own tongue around helplessly as if again stating her place in the apparent relationship. Once again this behavior easily melted Belladonnas resolve and resistance, leaving her helpless and malleable in the Rogues deft hands. Even as the kiss was ending Ember began to wrap one of the rope lengths around her victims wrist then moving the other end around the rod before knotting it off. "kisses make you fail your spot checks to notice really easy things huh my little trollip? I really am going to have to remember that one. Fortunately though I have a brand new game now. One I have a feeling that you are going to simply adore, even if your screaming and crying the whole time." The struggling and sniffling began anew as Belladonna realized just how much trouble she might be in once more. Ember laughed at the struggling girl and continued binding each limb to a rod until finally her new little toy was easily held spread out. To take advantage of this Ember grabbed on to the two rods responsible for the mouse girls feet and started to pull them up, following quickly by moving her hands up as well so that Belladonna ended up upside down in midair with her robes pulling their way off of her. "Well I suppose it would be a shame to ruin those robes of yours" she chuckled before undoing the other belts and letting the robes fall down to her arms. Ember pulled each helpless arm out of each sleeve and then started to grin at the now nude mouse body wearing nothing but spectacles that somehow stayed mostly in place and the fun little ring. Belladonna felt quite awkward hanging there helplessly looking around and trying to pull away from the rods that held her transfixed in midair. Ember took a moment to soak in how lovely the nude mouse girl looked before starting to remove her own armor and gear, showing the bashful rodent her athletic tumblers frame and well toned legs clearly. "Just as I thought you really are a gem aren't you? Now aren't you glad you stayed here with your sweetheart rather than running off with the others to town?" Belladonna tried to shake her head, but only really managed to wiggle her spectacles off more watching them hang by her ears dangling uselessly above the ground. "Poor little mouse, such a klutz. Maybe instead of all these wonderful little rods and wands you should have gotten yourself some gloves of cats grace hmm?" Belladonna whimpered a bit more at that and struggled once more to pull free which managed to nock her glasses completely off of her head. "Let me go this instant Ember. Please this really isn't funny anymore. It hurt bad enough last time. I like you a lot but I really will tell someone when they get back. " Ember seemed to totally ignore the protest as she stepped forwards. The fur of her hips and thighs stained with the fruits of Belladonnas repeated deflowerings that now rested inches in front of the mouse girls muzzle "You don't want me to hurt you anymore? Is that so, well then I suppose I could see clear to let you off if you can be a good girl and get me cleaned off. After all it is your fault I have such a mess on me isn't it?" Belladonna looked at the hips that were now caked with the fluids of orgasm and with her own virgin blood. "Well then what are you waiting for exactly?" Ember snapped "I told you to clean me off you sniveling little sex toy. Its not like you don't enjoy it." she laughed starting to rub the already wet folds "Or do I have to find some kobolds, or a displacer beast and get them to teach you how lucky you are?" The threat of course was more than enough to get the captive girl pushing her tongue moving along the fur struggling to lick up the after stains of their shared bliss and doing her absolute best not to balk at the taste of it. Still in spite of the sharp and painful taste the licks soon started to pick up their own forced, jerky rhythm. Each one a little bit harder and a little bit longer each demanding a little bit more from Belladonna and rewarding Ember equally. Just as ember had expected though her fingers soon found the moisture around the captive mouse girls folds growing by the second. She was getting hotter and hotter with each forced lick while at the same time driving Ember towards the throws of blissful release once more. "Face it little mouse. Like it or not you want this from day one. You know that a shy little waif like you needs someone to protect them, to put them in their place and most of all to cause them just enough pain and shame to keep them in line." Belladonna stopped licking and just blushed harder at the mention of what she was now growing to think was indeed a deep seated truth about herself. This brought a renewed smile to Embers face as she slowly began walking over towards the pile of items she had gotten out, picking up three different wands and starting to attach them to one of Belladonnas rod of many wands. "You know I think they got that old saying right. Artificers always have the best toys." The upside-down mousie blinked a bit at the rather sudden transition and then started to squirm in terror again while looking down the rod that was pointed at her small and exposed frame. "Oh don't worry little cutie I promise this won't leave a single mark. Then again considering that wonderful little ring of yours maybe I should since now is the best time to do it." Belladonna picked up her dagger and started to lick along the edges of it, moving slowly along the mousies lower legs with the flat of the blade and starting to grin softly "Now then you may end up healing from this one, but considering these nice little barbed jags on my dagger..." to drive her unspoken point home Ember started to run the dagger along the girls thigh slowly forming a long, awkward cut along her flesh that started to heal up at an odd angle leaving a strange scar lingering under the blood matting her thigh fur. Ember licked along the flat of the blade and grinned a bit as she made another cut, and then another, soon carving a painful little E into the girls thigh flesh, a mark as to who this mousie belonged with now. Belladonna shut her eyes and screamed out again as the knife kept moving along and tracing the letter into her, finally slumping down even as the mark set itself in her body. This once again left her feeling so violated since it was another source of pain that she could not protect herself from and seemed to show that Ember had all the cards right now. She opened them again just as Ember started to walk back a few paces while swinging the rod lazily and starting to chuckle a little. After everything else that had already happened she could only imagine what might happen to her after everything else had happened. "Now for the grand Finale, I do hope you like this one Cutie. Maybe when we get another chance alone you can figure out a few other wands that might work with this little game." Belladonna slowly looked away the moment she saw the telltale flashes of minor arcane energy at the tips of each wand attached to the rod. Ember watched as the first wand triggered, releasing a massive torrent of painfully sharp needles that each managed to find their way into the poor bound mouse girls flesh. Belladonna could feel them everywhere, her stomach, her breasts, her sex, her thighs and feet even in her ears and face. All throughout her body the small magical pinpricks served to further agitate her already pain wracked body. The forest all around erupted with her shrill sobs and groans of dull agony, followed closely by a fresh scream of terror as she watched the second rod starting to ignite sending out a hard jolt of searing electricity that struck hard and danced from pin to pin. Uncontrollable jerking just surged though her as well causing every muscle to pull painfully at the ropes holding her to the rods and digging into her wrists and ankles causing small bleeding rope cuts that instantly healed themselves back up with help from the ring. "Please.... Ember no more please. I took way too much damage from that. I can't keep... I just can't keep taking something so brutal." Ember simply chuckled at the pleas for mercy and kept ominously silent even as the third wand began to flare up and let out a sharp white flash, accompanied by a second that slowly surrounded Belladonna. "Good, I knew I was right." Ember chuckled "That sure looked like that cure moderate wounds wand you always tote around, but I really wanted to be sure about it. Before we continued." Belladonna looked up as the healing spell started to take hold on her body, relieving the pain running though her muscles and restoring any haze that Embers abuse may have caused. She genuinely wanted to think that it was all over but sadly she could still clearly see that malevolent spark in the Chipettes eyes. "Now that I have the right rod combinations. I think we should see just how many charges these things have. For your sake sweetie I really hope that you haven't been playing favorites with these three." Once again the wands would again start to charge with energy Belladonna shut her eyes tight a moment before the second wave of needles started to form. Hours later would find Belladonna waking slowly to the sound of crickets chirping loudly all around the camp. She was slow to really come to once more, body still alight with dull pain and a decided stiffness. She also felt a warm, soft and strong body resting right against her back, a blush coming to her cheeks as the girl realized who it had to be. Strangely enough she didn't scream and didn't run. Instead she simply wrapped a paw around Embers and then pushed back against her with a whimper eyes shutting tight. "Why did you do that Ember? Why... why did you hurt me so badly? What did I do wrong?" A lazy paw would slowly move around Belladonnas midsection and start to rub her tummy slowly. "Sorry cutie, but I just can't resist. Your Appearance score was just way too high. Can you really blame me?" Ember chuckled and started to lick a bit at her new lovers ear not giving her any room to move away from the affection either. Fortunately though it didn't seem to matter as Belladonna pushed into Ember tightly and shut her eyes letting out a sigh of frightened contentment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "But wait a second" Ester said as she looked up from Belladonnas sheet where she had been making a few minor adjustments to the number of charges in her wands. "How did she wake in that? If your going to use the healing spell at the end each time it would just negate most of the nonlethal damage in the first place. Besides why would Ember sleep with Belladonna in her arms if the rest of the party is coming back tomorrow? Wouldn't she be worried that they might find out what happened and boot her?" Try as she might to be a more understanding player Esters old habits seemed to have a way of creeping back up, much to Diana's chagrin. "I figured it would be like that massive damage rule, if you take so much nonlethal damage at one time you eventually pass out. So if your character had that used on her enough then odds are good she would pass out after a while right?" Diana started to flip though the Dungeon Masters Guide for the fifteenth time that day trying to find the rule in question. As cute as this game was it seemed Ester could not help but try to call every rule violation or misunderstanding into question. "Besides Ember wouldn't care if they did come back at the moment. Right now she is simply enjoying the time with her new little Artificer toy." Ester blushed at that and gave Diana a small kiss on the cheek. "You know that book you got is really... different. You are going to have to explain it to me in more detail some time. At the very least you could let me look at it. That wouldn't be too bad would it?" Diana just shook her head and closed the book she was looking though setting it aside softly. "You know, your not the easiest player for a new DM right? For now the book is going to stay for my eyes only, just like you said the Dungeon Masters Guide usually is for new players. Now if your done arguing and being too cute for your own good can we move on?" Ester nodded sheepishly at that and just looked down as Diana cleared her throat and pondered for a moment. "Ok, anyways its soon after this little cuddling session that the two get a call from Beatrix." "Call? You mean sending spell?" Ester asked in her usual ‘unintentional know it all' tone. "Sure sending spell, whatever." Diana groaned "She used a sending spell to tell Belladonna that the three of them had run into resistance in Valport, and that they were being held hostage by a beholder. They need the two of you to grab everything and get moving right away to save them." Ester almost raised her hand like she would have in class before chiming in. "But Diana, Beholders make an ant magic field, and I don't think they would take hostages. Besides if the camp could be carried by two people wouldn't Ember and Belladonna have gone with them in the first place?" Diana sighed once more and just pulled hard on Esters hair, forcing her into a strong and demanding lip lock for a few moments before finally breaking it. "Ester, Sweetheart." Diana said softly "Please just let me continue..."