An enemy convenes a duel in her bedroom by way of a magic mirror

Morgan's vision of the Warden's memory continues.

"Witness," the Outside Warders' judge repeats.

And so you relive that night.

A sickly green light blooms in the mirror at your dressing table. You wake, disoriented but knowing something is wrong.

I call you out, Torch, the soundless voice echoes in your mind. We will have a rematch...NOW.

Saralinda shifts against you, snuggling closer against your breast. You didn't intend to take her for a lover, but working closely with the young woman, talented and promising...well, one thing led to another, and here you are. The taste of her sex is on your lips, and the dull throb in your nipples bears witness to her eager sucking.

"I call you out." The voice is audible now, the magical connection through your mirror strengthening. "Now."

"Barbara?" Saralinda says.

"Get up, Saralinda," you say. "Get out of the way."

"Dismiss!" she says. "Break the connection, that's what you said."

Your anger rises. "No, I'll deal with this now," you say.

That was the moment, you think. Then, there, that.

You seize your wand and stand in front of the mirror. "Let it be now, then."

Facing you is the icy visage of Vindicatrix, a duelist driven by resentment, rage, and ****. Twice you've defeated her, crumpling her to the floor with a stun the first time, and with an electrifying nerve dazzle the second time. She'd held a grudge, though you were satisfied, and had denied her another duel.

You deflect her eager but ill-disciplined attacks. Speed was perhaps her main strength, and she'd surprised many foes who simply didn't believe she could strike like a coiled snake, or repeat her attacks so quickly.

You have Vindicatrix's measure. After you beat off a series of attacks, you frame a spell to convince her to leave you alone permanently, combining pleasure, pain and embarrassment.

You loose your fateful bolt toward the mirror. Vindicatrix blurts a single syllable. The mirror ripples. You see your own image reflected, inverted, tall, broad, and dark-skinned, a witch standing upon her head...enveloped in magical coruscations.

Your spell slams into you, reflected from the suddenly altered mirror, and acts upon you as you intended it to act upon Vindicatrix. You're wracked with a spasm of pain that locks your limbs tightly in place, then a hot ripple causes you to spurt urine and loudly expel wind, and lastly a wave of overwhelming pleasure ignites in your sex. You crumple to the ground in pain, in embarrassment, and in shameful pleasure, overmastering your will.

Vindicatrix laughs loudly. "Now I have you, Torch!" she crows. "NOW!"

Saralinda throws herself toward the mirror, breaking it. Her body flashes blue as she absorbs Vindicatrix's malign spell. She falls back on top of you, limp.

The projection ends. You blink, swaying on your feet as you face the judges.

Saralinda shifts behind you. She speaks no accusation. Indeed, she has been mute since that night, unable to muster magic beyond the simplest ward, deflection, or illumination. Unable to serve in full, she drifts round the fastness of the Outside Warders, having nowhere else to call home. Saralinda performs small duties, assisting the Librarian or the Janusia*, and clinging tight to the warmth of one of the Warders. Who it is, you care not, for Saralinda no longer clings to you.

* The Janusia is the Warders' Warden.

The central judge speaks.

"It is the judgment of this court that Barbara Torch, Senior Warder among the Outside Warders, shall be removed from any office of command or authority, as these scenes witness that she neither obeys nor does she command her own actions with wisdom. She remains subject to the oaths of secrecy and to recall in times of dire necessity, retaining the rank of Postulant, now Penitent."

You tremble. You are now lowest of the low among the Outside Warders.

"Penitent, you are oath-bound to obey any full Warder. Do you understand?"

"I do, Senior," you address the judge.

"For your actions you will be placed under the command of Assistant Warder Saralinda, to serve her hand and foot for a year and a day, and then you shall be released to your fate. Do not seek further disgrace. Robe the Penitent."

It was a cold, hard year and a day. Saralinda never softened toward you. She accepted your service as her own duty to the Outside Warders, commanding you with hand signs, and when she became impatient, with slaps and cuffs. You curled on your pallet on the foot of her bed while Saralinda took lovers, Senior Warders as you had been, all women.

In the final month Saralinda rejected you entirely, leaving you to the Mistress of Penitence, who directed you to clean, to mend, to polish, and to sweep. Unendingly.

After a year and a day, you were turned out, your wand and personal belongings returned. After a few months' aimless wandering, your ambition to prove yourself returned, but no longer through dueling. Friends had found you a place at Boarbristle Academy that was a perfect match for your skills. And you would lick your wounds and build your strength for another worthy contest, one worth your whole self, your strength, magic, and desire. Or perhaps you would be **** to submit, the whole of your will made subject. Whole in victory, or whole in subjection.

Saralinda, so cruel, your mistress, but neither in love nor desire. It had left a hole in your heart that was still healing.

"Morgan, Morgan!" Fay calls. "Were you nodding off?"

You blink back to wakeful awareness. "Ah!" you say.

"There are two lovely witches waiting for your attention, Morgan," Fay says. "What has you wandering in dreams?"

Fay's taste lingers on your lips, her sex and her arse. That. "Caught an echo off Warden," you say. "She...well, she popped a big one when she tasted you on my tongue, and it went back on me. As, you know...."

"As it does," Fay says. She laughs out loud. "She popped a big cummie when she tasted my arse? Well, well, well, Warden. Now who's perverse?"

"Fay?" Golondrina says. "Were we...?" The tall redhead looks at Fay, then turns an expectant look to you.

"Oh, right, what were we here for, it flew straight out of my mind," Fay jests. "That's right, we were going to give Lolo a good time. Let's not wait till we run out of the Warden's NON PERTURBARE. Shall we?"

Golondrina smiles, affirming her part as Fay states.

MIND MELD: Learn a Forbidden Spell (SHAMEGASM) from the Warden, along with her secret. It locks the subject's muscles painfully, provokes them to wet themselves and fart loudly, and then causes a powerful orgasm.

You have a FAVOR from Pipistrelle Clawson, Minerval Prefect.
Your roommate Fay in House Minerval is your FRIEND.
Golondrina Redmoor of House Leontes, is your FRIEND and owes you a FAVOR.
Barbara Torch, Warden of Leontes, is your voyeuristic HANGER-ON.

You have a GOAL (-2 to AMBITION) to get Golondrina Redmoor into House Minerval.

You have 0 XP, Ambition +2, Bravery -1, Cunning +2, Diligence +0.