The magical fortress known as Thorin Keep had been the seat of Arak's ancestors for fifteen generations. A place of power, its energies had been bound up a century ago into intricate enchantments that maintained it without the need for human servants. A year ago, it had held Arak's personal guard, 50 men strong. Now there were only five people dwelling within: Arak himself, Knight of the Silver Rose, and Keeper of Thorin; his squire, Luthen, a boy on the verge of manhood, son of Lord Casic of Thule; and the three whom Arak had so riskily given refuge, Methas the Sorceress, and the two Princesses of Garamond, Binna and Celess. Widely believed to be Methas's captives, the two princesses had been the object of Arak's quest, when upon his finding them they had convinced him that they did not wish to be returned to their uncle, the King of Garamond. They had been so persuasive that he offered his castle to them as a place to hide from the King.

A month had passed, and the King did not yet suspect. Methas had woven her sorceries so well that King Garone's wizards had not a clue where she was hidden. The month had been eventful. When Arak brought the women back to the castle, Luthen, who had been there alone looking after it while Arak quested, had been completely smitten by the princesses' beauty. Sweet Celess had only smiled, at first, but saucy Binna had taken full advantage. Arak had several talks with Luthen about the importance of a knight's chastity, but he felt he was losing the battle. There was little to be said for chastity with such temptations so near.

Still, it was something of a shock, a wake up call, when he walked in on the three in the midst of some wild erotic game. Binna was tying Luthen to Celess in an intricate and unnatural looking fashion, while Methas looked on, eyes half lidded, mouth in an indulgent smile. Arak halted. He knew the women played these games, constantly it seemed - the surprise was to see Luthen in the midst of them. "Luthen?" Arak called. The boy did not answer, seeming not to hear him. Methas turned and looked at him directly, beckoning him over with a graceful hand.

Arak walked to stand beside Methas's chair. She looked at him, having to crane her neck at what appeared an uncomfortable angle. He went down on one knee, bringing his face closer to her eye level. She smiled for a moment. "Thank you. That's much better. Now... you wished to ask Luthen something? He is occupied at the moment."

Arak grimaced slightly. "I saw that. I was not aware he was..." he tried to find the words.

"Assisting my girls in their efforts? Oh yes. He was eager to, you know. Binna likes him, and I needed the help, so I initiated him at the ides... five days ago, that would be." Methas regarded him as if daring him to object.

Arak felt a bit of confusion. "You needed the help? Do you mean you .... can't keep the princesses sexually satisfied without him... " He blushed hotly.

Methas laughed. "Oh, my good Sir Arak... what ... You have no idea ... you think this is all for fun? It is pleasurable, but there is a time and place for pleasure for its own sake, and at the moment we are fighting for our lives." She drew a breath, the laughter leaving her countenance completely, leaving her looking drawn and exhausted.

Arak was stunned. How could he not have noticed how tired she was? "This is a safe place for you, Lady Methas. You should rest..."

"I cannot. Yes, the castle is completely defensible militarily. But I cannot allow the King to know we are here. If he did, we would be besieged by magic, and that would be even more of a drain on us than my current work to keep our location secret." She paused, then smiled wearily, and said, "The power source of my magic is the erotic energies of those who serve me. Binna and Celess, and your young Luthan now, these amusements of theirs are no mere amusements. They are all that is keeping us safe, now more than ever."

Arak nodded, feelings stirring in him. He had long ago, in his years as a squire and then as a novice knight, conquered his passions. The luscious curve of a young girl's body was beautiful in his sight, but he could easily resist the temptation. Nothing in the sex games the girls were playing with Luthen was new to him, or particularly enticing. He was not drawn to pain at all, and pleasure, while obviously pleasurable, had no power over his soul to move him to anything he did not truly wish. But this... this was what he lived for. Service, aid, to those in need. A new sensation stirred in him, a temptation he could not even recognize as temptation. The draw of service. "I will help, then."

Methas looked at him, deeply, with unfocused eyes. "You could, but-- I had not thought even to consider it... Sir Arak. It is enough that you gave us shelter and the ease of mind to know that we need not fear military might, though it be the entire kingdom of Garamond massed below the battlements. You gave us your castle as a new home when our old was destroyed -- you owe us no more service, indeed it is we who owe you a great debt. But I admit, the power they can generate is not ... almost, but... not enough, even with Luthen's aid. If you truly wish it..."

So he began his apprenticeship to learn the ways of arousing and maintaining erotic pleasure. Binna was his first teacher. She told him what she liked, and then he began to be able to tell by her face and body, even when she was gagged, as she loved to be. And by learning to see her pleasure, he found his own began to awaken, that the steady work -- and it was work, he found -- of bringing Binna to a resounding, vibrating peak and then keeping her there, preventing release, made his own energies swirl rapidly around him. He was able to sense the energy as well from Celess, and even Luthen, though it was remarkably difficult for him to give Luthen erotic direction. After all those chastity lectures.

But, it was needed, and he rose to the occasion. Methas sat, and focused, and drank up the energies from Binna, Luthen, and Celess, and Arak was the ringmaster, creating and strengthening the energies for Methas. Putting the girls and his squire through their paces, noting what made them even more aroused, and pouring his energies into bringing them to the greatest peaks he could. It was working. He knew he was helping. And so the temptation increased. He was of service. Yet he could be of more service. He knew there was a ritual Methas had done to each, the one she'd performed on Luthen at the last month's Ides. The next Ides were in two days.

Arak went down on one knee before Methas again. This had become his habit, reinforced by her evident pleasure in the posture. "My Lady," he said.

"Yes, my Knight?" Methas smiled. She was not quite so weary anymore; the energies were much stronger now.

"I ask ... I would like to ask for something."

"You may ask, of course."

"In two days it will again be the Ides. You told me... you told me that you initiated Luthen to be able to give you power, last month at the Ides. I ask that you initiate me at these Ides. So that I can lend you yet more power." Arak breathed heavily. He waited for her answer.

"Sir Arak... you ask a great deal. Yet you give me far more than you ask." She gazed into his eyes, and he could feel her mind inside his. A strange, ticklish sensation. "These past weeks have awakened something in you that I do not think you understand. You have a gift... you have the power of magic. In fact, if you had studied magic, you might have rivaled my own power." She paused. "If I initiated you, because of this power you hold, you could provide me alone as much energy as Binna, Celess, and Luthen do together. But -- the risk is great as well. You could also drain my power, if I let you, if you tried. Mine, and theirs, and take it all into yourself. I would be able to stop you -- I have the years of experience -- but the effort would cost me all, because I would not be able to do that and still maintain our shield against King Garone's wizards."

Arak was taken aback. He had not even had an inkling. He had thought that the feelings he'd sensed had come from Methas's magic, not some latent power of his own. "So, you cannot risk it. I understand."

Methas shook her head. "No, Arak. I have always been one to take risks." She leaned over and put her hands behind his head, in a smooth motion so fast he did not know what happened, pulled his face to hers and kissed him deeply. "You are a risk I want to take. So be it. Your request is granted. I will initiate you in two days. Be ready. The others will prepare you for the ordeal."