The sleeping scouts: - The Castle Under the Swamp

With a quick nod, she ducked her head under the water quickly, wiping the water from her face. With more precision and dedication she rinsed the soap from his body, cupping it in her little hands and letting it run over his skin.

The King in Yellow ponders if Addison made her so perfect or if it had happened by accident.

He shrugs and allows her better access to him before standing and lifting her easily from the tub. Thick downy towels wrap around her and himself before settling on another stone bench.

The feel of the towel made her practically melt against him, her eyelids drawing heavy. Resting against his chest, she murmured again, "I love you, Daddy. Anything for you." Her gaze was on the green dress that had been made for her, a hopeful disbelief in her eyes.

The King in Yellow dries her gently before tossing the towel aside and settling her on her feet.

"Left your arms."

He gathers the dress and allows it to pool over her gracefully. He smooths it down for a moment and allows himself to inspect the fit before reaching for the amber accented chocker. He leans forward and kisses her softly.

"Do you want this collar, pet? It will mean that you are mine, forever."

Her eyes light up with happiness, the sort that one would see in a bride on her wedding day, or a child on Christmas. "I want to be yours forever.."

The King in Yellow smiles, leans forward and slides the collar in place. It laces itself on the back pf her neck, and glows faintly for a second. It feels walk and slithers like water silk against her skin.

He kisses her lightly and stands.

"There, turn slowly, let me look at you..."

She turned herself completely at his order, the feel of the collar causing her to shiver. She added a bit of the movement she had been taught by him earlier into her turn, her hips rotating subtly.

He smiles and claps lightly.

"You look beautiful. Very nice."

He stands and offers her his hand.

"Come, let's get you a mirror so you can see how lovely you look."

He guides them back to her room where a full sized mirror now dominates one of the walls.

She slipped her little hand into his larger one, following him easily. She second guessed the room momentarily, she was sure there hadn't been a mirror there before.. but once she saw herself, she smiled brightly, pleased. "Am I pretty in it, Daddy?"

"Very pretty," he says stroking her hair. "You are a beautiful girl."

Her cheeks flushed a delightful shade of pink as she lowered her head. She clasped her hands together behind her back, digging her toe into the ground and twisting slightly in a shy manner.

The King in Yellow feels a momentary swelling as the gesture arouses him for reasons he cannot quite pin down.

"So modest too. Good girl. Now, let's see to a meal and then take you to my dancing room."

He pulls the rope again and a strange wheeled creature pushes in a tray cart filled with fresh fruits and small pieces of cheese, honey and bread. A large pot of tea steams to the side and a large pad of butter as well.

"Mind your dress now," he says and pulls a chair oit from under the cart for her.

With a curious glance to the wheeled creature, she sat in the chair at his beckon, carefully smoothing her dress down under her as she'd seen little girls do in movies before she sat down. She looked at the banquet before her, her eyes full of wonder. "This all looks so yummy.."

The tall fellow settles across from her and pours a cup of tea for each of them, selecting some of the sliced fruit and arranging it neatly on a plate before setting it in front pf her.


"I am pleased, it is all very fresh."

He smiles and takes a sip of the tea, watching her without seeming to have a care in the world.

She pops a small piece of peach in her mouth, her smile growing as she casually kicked her legs back and forth. She sampled each piece of fruit, rotating the order she ate them in. Once she had finished, she slipped her finger into her mouth, licking the juice from her digit. "Mm!"

Once clean, she took the tea in her hands, sipping it. As she set it down, glancing up at him happily. "You are so good, Daddy."

The King in Yellow smiled.

"And you are such a good girl."

He smiled to her and offered his hand.

"Would you like a tour of your new home?"

She nodded eagerly, carefully slipping from her chair. "Yes!" She reached for his hand, a.quickly forming habit, bright eyes focused on his face.

The King in Yellow took her hand gently and guided her out of the chamber into the hall. Servants wearing plain collars and sheer fabric that left little to the imagination scuffled up and sown the halls.

"You recall my foyer."

He guides her past, gesturing to doors as he walks.

"Kitchen,"the mechanical chef made of pots waved.

"Classroom." A pretty woman in goth attire was teaching a lecture to a group of people dressed as servants. The room is latest out much as a college class might; theater seating with small desks built into the chairs.

"Studio."the room was hard wood floored, with mirrors along one side and musical instruments along the other.

"Theater." The recording theater was working on another of the Kings works, this one featuring half dozen teenagers of varying genders nervously exploring each other.

He points to several tunnels explaining where they open under the swamp and they pass dozens of closed doors which he labels as various peoples rooms. Very very few people seemed to have their own room here. He labels a larger tunnel as one that leads to his club, which had a few erotically costumed people walking in ande out.

Finally he stops in a huge library with a massive purple fire crackling happily in his hearth.

"And this is wear I spend the bulk of my tme. My library."

He says the words as one might whisper a lovers name. "Would you like to explore any of these places, pet?"

With each introduction of the rooms, she seemed to get more and more excited, her pleasure easily seen on her pretty features. "I can't pick!" She admitted enthusiastically, beaming up at him. "I want to learn and be clever for you.. I want to play you beautiful music and dance wonderfully for you.. I want to read with you each night you read, and learn with you.."

The King in Yellow cups her cheek gently with the palm of one hand.

"Such a sweet thing you are," he chuckles in his dusky, velvet manner. "Ballet and the piano I can teach you myself, as well as the harp. And the whole wealth of this library would take you many lifetimes to learn everything here."

He smiles at her, settling into one of the overstuffed chairs and pats his leg.

"I would like you to learn to paint too, I think."

She crawled up onto his lap, her eyes nearly sparkling with excitement. "How can I choose, then? How do I fit it all into one lifetime?"

"Well pet, when you only have one lifetime, you should fill it with things that make you happy. But, you might have much longer. Time is strange here, in my house. Might be you stay just as you are forever."

A hand settles on her thigh and he pulls her deeper into his lap sighing contently.

"Just as I am?" Claire asked as she rested against him warmly, "You mean little? And pretty? And all yours?"

The King in Yellow nods, "Yes, yes, and yes. Would that please you?"

"So, so very much." Her eyes shimmered with tears of joy, the idea of being able to spend forever with her Daddy overwhelming.