The morning after

Lila woke up in her own bed, recollecting the night before. Her heart jumped as she looked over to the bed next to her. She saw Daelana sleeping there. Lila remembered that, despite everything that happened, she had agreed to go back to her room with Daelana and spend the night there. She had begged Tyra to let her stay with her that night. She wouldn't have minded sharing a bed or even sleeping on the floor if she had to. But Tyra gave her a cold look.

"It wouldn't be good," Tyra had said that night, "We're being watched. If you don't sleep in the room they gave you, who knows what they'll do."

And so Lila reluctantly agreed and found herself sharing a roof with the girl who tormented her. She was still scared she'd do something bad to her again. She had slept through the night with her, and in Lila's mind her obligation to whoever was watching her had ended. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. She got out of bed and snuck over to her wardrobe. She found a clean selection of purple robes for her to wear. She grabbed a set and sighed as she began taking off her nightwear to change. But just before she did, she heard shuffling behind her. She turned and felt her heart drop as she saw Daelana laying down with her eyes open looking directly at her. She had a sad, resigned look in her eyes, but it made no difference to Lila.

"Lila..." said Daelana.

Lila didn't continue to change. In a panic, she slung her outfit over her shoulder and bolted for the door. Daelana got up, reaching out for her desperately but couldn't call out in time before she had rushed from their abode and scampered off to who knows where. Daelana shook and curled up into a ball. She looked dejectedly to the wall, knowing for a fact that she had pushed away everyone who had cared for her.

***

Tyra leaned against the window and looked out to the waves crashing upon the shores of the beach. She was always mesmerized by the movements of the ocean and they helped her clear her head in hard times. She looked over her shoulder to see Angelica, wrapped in a blanket and laying in her bed. She was still naked, not having gotten dressed even after the party was over. As soon as Malgor had taken Christina into his room and the Helga clones started packing up, she was the first one out of the door, bolting through the night like she was streaking. When Tyra came back, she found her in that exact position and she hadn't moved since. Tyra sighed. She went to Angelica's wardrobe, found one of her outfits, and threw it on top of her. Angelica turned her head to Tyra.

"Get dressed," said Tyra, "You're supposed to be our leader, right? You shouldn't let your friends see you like that."

"It's too late for that," grumbled Angelica, burying her head in a pillow, "I was completely humiliated and everyone saw. No one came to help. No one even talked to me. Not even one of you."

"What did you expect?" said Tyra, "Everyone here understands we hold no power. If they had tried to help you, they just would've been punished too and you wouldn't have been any better off. "

Angelica turned back to Tyra, a scowl on her face.

"We're supposed to be a team!" said Angelica, "We're supposed to suffer together, fight together, band together against that monster! But you all forgot that! Everyone here is giving in except me!"

Tyra looked especially irked, her stoic demeanor tipping over. She marched right up to Angelica, grabbed her by the hair, and pulled her from her sleeping position. Angelica squealed and clawed at Tyra who didn't budge.

"What are you doing?!" yelled Angelica.

"You think we like doing this?" said Tyra, "We're just trying to survive this mess and you're the only one messing up! Right now your best friend is suffering because she has ****! You're the only one who's choosing pain!"

Tyra's yelling was interrupted as she heard the creaking of the door open. She looked over and felt her anger fade away to guilt when she saw Lila standing there in her nightgown looking terrified of the scene taking place. Tyra dropped Angelica who grabbed the sheets to hide her body again. Tyra looked down in shame as Angelica begrudgingly grabbed the clothes that were thrown to her and started changing under the sheets. Lila didn't move from her spot and Tyra awkwardly tried to meet her eyes but couldn't as Lila looked away out of fear. Once Angelica had put on pants and a bra, she got out of bed and started putting on a shirt as she headed for the door.

"I... I'm going to go check on Christina," said Angelica.

She pulled her arms through her shirt sleeves as she moved past Lila and out the door. Lila shyly looked down as Tyra moved towards her.

"What are you doing here Lila?" said Tyra, "If you're looking for comfort I'm not the right person to come to."

"Then... there's no one for that," said Lila, "Angelica's storming off, Daelana went mad, Christina's gone, and you haven't talked to me since Malgor... k... kissed me."

Tyra sighed, feeling for Lila deeply but still too scared of what that could do to both of them in this place. Malgor already took advantage once, and the next time it could be even worse.

"Listen, Lila," said Tyra, "No good will come of you hanging around me. Trust me. It'll be better if you pretend not to associate with me."

"But you're the only one who's helped me!" said Lila, "The only one. Without you..."

Lila trailed off. Tyra did her best to remain silent. If she really wanted to cut her off for her own good, she couldn't give her even the temptation of an answer. It'd be better for her that way, she thought, though her thoughts pained her more and more each second.

"Well, alright then," said Lila, "I can't go back so I guess I'll check on Christina as well."

Lila slowly started to walk off. But as she heard her footsteps, Tyra couldn't help but feel the pang of guilt overwhelm her heart. She just couldn't do nothing.

"Wait," said Tyra.

Lila stopped in her tracks, turning back to Tyra as a tinge of hope filled her.

"Those spells of yours," said Tyra, "You need to cast one of them today or else you'll be in trouble, right? Well... cast one on me."

"What?" said Lila in shock, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," said Tyra, "It's not that big a deal. Just do the naked one. I'll just stay inside for an hour."

"But... the last time I did that I..." said Lila.

"I'm trusting you!" said Tyra, "I won't get mad! I'm asking you to do this for your own good! Please believe me!"

Lila gulped, looking at the sincerity in Tyra's eyes. Even if Lila's experience told her to not trust her friends, she longed to be able to believe in them like before. She gave into the chance that it may be true and nodded.

"Okay, as long as you're okay with it," said Lila, "Imperatricis Vestimenta."

As Lila reached out her hands and chanted the spell, Tyra felt her clothes crumble into dust around her. It was a strange feeling, one moment being wrapped in the safety of her clothes only to have it slowly peel away as she could not stop it, slowly feeling the cool morning air prick her skin until she was completely naked. She slowly moved her hands to cover herself, not fully prepared for how embarrassing it was. Lila looked away, her face turning red.

"Sorry!" yelled Lila.

"No, I asked for this," said Tyra, "I'll be fine in here for the next hour. Go and check on Christina, okay? She'll need lots of help."

"Okay," said Lila, "And... well... thank you."

Lila ran out of the abode as quickly as she could as Tyra sat on her bed and prepared herself for a rather boring hour. Though it went against her mercenary judgement, she smiled as she was glad to have done something good for the girl.

***

Christina slowly woke up as the light of the morning blazed in her eyes. As she rose from the sheets, the memories of that night flooded her. She almost had wished it was a bad dream, as she did the morning before. But the rustling beside her as Malgor woke up next to her confirmed that it was all very real. She shook with shame and clutched her knees to her chest as Malgor wrapped his arms around her, smiling.

"How did my little paladin sleep?" said Malgor.

"I did it," said Christina, "Of my own will I gave myself to the enemy. I denounced my greatest friend. I'm a great sinner."

"You let yourself free last night," said Malgor, "Tell me, little paladin, is that not the best you've felt since you've arrived here? All the anxieties, the humiliations, is it not strange that they all led to such a beautiful night like this?"

Christina looked at Malgor in fear and started scooching away from him on the bed.

"No... but..." said Christina, "The pleasure... it was a sin! This is all a sin!"

"Then you don't deny the pleasure," said Malgor, "And you only say it's a sin because what you experienced, what you said that night, was all true in your heart."

Christina stopped and looked towards the rising sun.

"Yes," she said, "I have a black heart, don't I?"

"You do," said Malgor, "So do all the other girls. They just won't admit it to themselves."

Christina looked back at Malgor who met her gaze with a comfortable smile. She realized that this was another moment she expected would be torturous for her. To look into her enemy's eyes after he had ravaged her and see the glee on his face. But she did not feel like she was ravaged. And the look on his face was oddly comforting. This made things even more wrong to her.

Her inner conflict was interrupted by Athalia storming through the doors in her maid attire. She was stunned to see Christina in bed with Malgor looking longingly into his eyes. That morning she woke up confident and even happy, sure that Christina would've fallen victim to Malgor's darkest desires, resisted, and had fallen in points. Instead, she flew into a rage when she saw the score.

Angelica: 6VP

Christina: 51VP

Daelana: 9VP

Tyra: 29VP

Lila: 25VP

Athalia: 14VP

Christina had shot to a ridiculous lead. It wasn't even the first round of this game either. Athalia immediately dressed in her maid outfit and marched to the tower, determined to see it with her own eyes. And as she saw the truth, her heart sank. She bemoaned to herself how unfair it was that such a prudish girl would rise so high while a true succubus was second to last. She stood in stunned silence as Malgor turned his attention to her.

"At last," said Malgor, "You know what to do. Take the sheets and wash them."

He threw the sheets at Athalia who snapped to attention to catch them. Christina yelped as the only cover she had was snatched away. She scrambled off the bed to find and put on her dress from the night before. Malgor also got up and put his pants back on. Athalia struggled to fold the sheets into a ball she could carry as Christina ran past her, pulling her dress up as she desperately wanted to get some space from the setting of her amorous night. Athalia, left alone with Malgor, paused in thought. She was reaching a **** time and knew she needed to do something with her position as maid. She gently set the sheets down and approached Malgor.

"My lord?" said Athalia.

"I thought I told you to wash the sheets and be gone from my sight," said Malgor, his back turned.

"I will wash those sheets, as I obey all of your commands," said Athalia, "In fact, I wanted to tell you, remind you, that I am at your disposal for all things and that I am ready to obey unquestioningly."

"Then the sheets shouldn't be difficult for you," said Malgor,

Athalia hesitated, considering dropping it all and just doing the laundry as told in fear of incurring more wrath. But all that would do was a big load of nothing. She'd have no points and no advantage. As the round drew on she knew she was inching closer towards elimination. She needed to do something, anything to improve her standing. She immediately dropped to her knees and slammed her body on the floor, prostrating herself before Malgor.

"I know you hate me dark lord," said Athalia, "And I deserve your hate! I do not deny my betrayal! I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you! What will it take? Do you want to **** me, make me scream out in pain? I'll thank you for it! Do you want me to humiliate myself, run naked before the world and proclaim myself the lowest of all beings? I'll do it in your name! I'll scream your name to the heavens as I suffer for you so that all know who I owe my penance to! I'll do anything, just let me show you how much my service is worth! I can treat you better than these whores! You know I can do so much more than them! So please let me repent!"

Malgor stood with his back turned to her as he contemplated her words. For once in her life she seemed to have been truly ****. She admitted her own betrayal, something that genuinely surprised him. He once again considered Helga's words, that he should consider each of the girls as a potential bride for himself. While part of him wanted to drag Athalia down and make her lose without question, another part wanted to see how far she'd go to win his love. Perhaps there were some benefits to be gained from that as well. He turned around to face her once more.

"If you wish to prove yourself, I have thought of a fitting way you could earn some of my favor back." said Malgor.

Athalia peeked her head out from her groveling. She sighed and smiled, happy that she finally got through to him.

"Of course my lord!" she exclaimed, "Anything you desire I'll do!"

"Let's try something just for today then," said Malgor, "For the rest of today, you shall not only be my maid, but everyone else's as well. You must obey the orders of any girl that gives one to you."

Athalia's smile faded. She wasn't quite expecting that. Lowering herself for the dark lord was one thing, as she had done it many times before and all for the purpose of winning his favor. But lowering herself for the other girls whom she despised was something else entirely.

"But, my lord..." said Athalia, "What good would that do? Surely you wouldn't want to give those whores any more power than they deserve, especially when I could be pleasuring you instead."

"Do not question my orders, maid," said Malgor, "You say you are willing to humiliate yourself for me. Well, you can start by reminding every other girl just how lowly you are. You may be winning my favor, but you are still atoning for your betrayal. You are demoted, and you should remember that."

Athalia almost opened her mouth to protest again but stopped herself. She had to make herself realize the glaring truth: despite her knowledge and experience with Malgor, she was in the most disadvantageous position of all the girls. She needed to take what she could get, or else she knew she'd be dropping of of this contest very soon. She bowed her head to the floor again.

"Of course," said Athalia, "You are most wise. I will do as you command."

"Good," said Malgor, "Now get out of my sight."

Athalia grasped the dirty laundry again and got up. When she did, she was met with the vaguely irritating noise of clapping. She looked behind her and saw Helga standing there giving an applause. Athalia couldn't tell if it was sarcastic or not.

"Might I say, dark lord, a very good idea," said Helga, "And don't worry, Athalia, I'll consider orders given by others not part of your maidly duties and you may receive points for them."

"Thank you so much!" said Athalia, her words dripping with resentment.

Helga curtsied politely.

"Now, dark lord, I will take our dear Athalia down and make sure she does a thorough job washing those sheets!" said Helga, "Do keep an ear out, for after she's done, I'll have an announcement to make. A fun one!"

Malgor simply nodded at her as she ushered Athalia out of the room. The door closed, and Malgor looked out the window, ruminating on his next moves.