The Hunchback's Reluctant Bride ✔

33 | Payment

Vadde opened her eyes to a strange sensation. When she recognized it to be hands fondling her breasts, she thought of Wyrn but froze.

The rush of fear to spread through her vanished when she glanced to her right to find Orm fast asleep beside her.

But if he was there, then who...?

After easing up, Vadde looked down at herself. A pleased smile greeted her from the purple nymph.

"Oh, you've come around. Wonderful."

He sat on her left nipple, more than just a bit casual.

The moment he bounced on her, rather comfortable, she bit back a swear.

As small as they were, she felt they were still rather powerful, so she tried to keep her tone measured.

"May I sit up?"

"Huh?" After a moment, the male nymph looked down at where he sat and laughed. "Oh, but of course."

Vadde focused on her feet to find the bandages still in place. They hadn't healed. Now her ankles sported a bruise, red and raw.

"What am I to do?" Vadde asked herself.

The green wood nymph walked the length of Orm's body then stopped below the bellybutton to peer down.

"Well, the size isn't bad but the one to wield it surely shouldn't be allowed to procreate."

She gave it a kick which had Vadde biting back a laugh.

But then the reality of the situation came back to her, and she asked, "What is to happen here? What will happen to me?"

The purple nymph flew to sit down on her knee. "You are to be the new Living Goddess. It was a bargain set by your mother, the queen."

His words had Vadde stunned. "You know my mother?"

The nymphs shared a glance and shrugged in unison.

"Of course, we know your mother. It was us who granted you to her." He scoffed, muttering under his breath, "After that pathetic attempt at payment. Do you remember?"

His companion nodded, complaining as well. "It's the way of monarchs, thinking we value riches such as stones and gold."

"How very useless," the male nymph declared. He asked Vadde finally, "What is the price of a life?"

Vadde puzzled about his words. "I do not know."

"You do not know! Of course, a life is only as valuable as another life!"

The green nymph frowned. "So many lives lost that day."

"Yes. It was unbalanced. But look, she has returned, and the bargain is complete. We need not worry."

Vadde narrowed her eyes. "What...what exactly was the bargain?"

Unsurprisingly, the green nymph explained, "Your mother was barren and wanted a cure. So that meant multiple lives."

The purple one scoffed, "Such trickery. And for what? Pretty stones and shiny silver and gold?"

Vadde thought back to nearly six years ago now when The Living Goddess came with her demands. You cannot have another child because you refuse to let this one go. Had that been the agreement?

Though fearful, Vadde turned to ask her hosts, "And the bargain was for me to return here and become a fairy?"

"Become a servant in the temple, yes." The green nymph shook her head. "Fairies must attend to fairies. At one time there were many here caring for The Living Goddess." She snarled. "Until one came and killed her."