+ + + + + The Contract
It was the third request that panicked the Miller's Daughter. She had nothing, nothing more that would interest him. There was no more jewelry, nothing else she could offer him. She knew, sometimes, that desperate, destitute women would come to him and he would grant their requests for minor, minor favors, like a kiss. She shook her head. No, she didn't think he would spin the straw for just a kiss, not for her. But she had to ask. Everything, everything depended on it.
"Rumpelstiltskin," she called after she was locked into the tower room.
"Yes, dearie, I was expecting you to call," he was there immediately.
She stood in front of him and spread her hands out in front of her. "I have nothing, nothing to offer you as payment. "
"Oh well, then, it was a good plan as far as it went. I think the King will likely just send you home when he comes in and finds you weren't able to do any spinning for him."
"Please, is there anything, anything at all I can offer you? Please," she pleaded. "I'm so close to getting everything I want."
"Well, well, well." He walked up close to her. "Anything. How old are you now, my dear?"
"Sixteen, sir," she responded.
"Still young, so very young. But old enough to be considered for marriage."
"Some of my friends are already married with children," she assured him.
He looked at her closely¸ his eyes sweeping her up and down. He reached out and touched her raven hair. "You are very pretty, very pretty." He put his hands on her arms and gently pulled her into him. "You are not repulsed by me, are you my dear?"
She responded by leaning into him and finding his mouth with her own. "I've told you, I find you interesting, fascinating and desirable. I've been saving myself for you."
"But before you were a silly, little chit who was dabbling in magic, too young, much too young to interest me. But now, now, you will likely be a queen. That makes you infinitely more interesting, more alluring, especially to me. For me to know that the new queen has warmed my bed before she graced her attentions on the king. I like that." He turned his attention to the straw. "These are my terms, my dear. You will allow me access to your bed, not just tonight, but anytime I might desire you or want you or have even a passing whim. We will, of course, be discrete. I would not want to jeopardize your relationship and position with the king."
The Miller's Daughter hesitated. He was asking not just for a single night, but for always. That could become difficult. But what choice did she have? "I have not heard you make that particular request before," she said, curious as to why she warranted such special attention.
He closed his eyes. "You and I have a future, my dear. A long future. I want to be sure I always have some measure of an upper hand. Being able to have you will give me that." he replied.
She swallowed, not at all comfortable with this, but nodded agreement, relieved that sexual contact was all he was asking.
But then he continued. "I see a child in your future, my dear. I want the child."
This was unforeseen. "Is that necessary?"
He stopped spinning. "It is absolutely necessary. Are you in agreement?"
She closed her eyes. "As always, you know that I have no choice but to agree."
"But of course you have a choice. You can always go back to your village, find a nice young man and live out your life as the town beauty." He began spinning again. "Or you can pay the price of magic. Which is it dearie?"
"I'll pay. You know, I'll pay. Do you have the contract?"
He stopped spinning again, smiled, reached into his vest and pulled out a rolled paper and a blue quill. "Of course, read it over if you like before you sign. Everything is in there."
She did read the contract before she signed it. Every detail was spelled out. He began spinning turning the straw into fine gold thread. "Allow me some time to make us a comfortable place for me to practice my depredations upon your body. This straw is scratchy, but the gold will be like silk."
She handed him the signed contract. He smiled "Your first born." His eyes glazed off. "Your first born will be a girl." Will this be the daughter he had foreseen for so long? A beautiful raven haired, grey-skinned child, gifted with powerful magic potential.
She sat on the floor next to the wheel while he worked his magic on the straw. The darkness, the drone of the wheel, the lateness of the hour. She found herself dozing off. It was with some surprise that she found herself lifted onto a bed of softest fibers. Still mostly asleep, she felt him removing her clothes and gently kissing her back to wakefulness.
"Wake up dearie, I want you to feel everything that I do to your body." Oh my stars! She was feeling what he was doing. He was touching her, touching her everywhere. His hands were warm, so warm. Sometimes it was his whole hand that she could feel and sometimes it was just the tickle of his nails. Often his mouth would follow where his hands had been. She had had no idea how many places on her body were sensitive to stimulation. But she was finding out. When she protested him touching her thighs, she heard him laugh and then felt the spell wash over her. He had immobilized her. She could feel but not move. It was intensely exciting, having to consent, having to feel, having to accept what he was doing to her with no recourse. His fingers came gently massaging at first, but then he added increasing pressure. She heard herself making gasping, whimpering sounds and, when the pressure built beyond bearing and amazingly burst in a series of enormous, miraculous spasms, she cried out. She heard him whisper, "Very good, dearie, very good."
She didn't think there could be any more, but he continued his administrations, still using his fingers, bringing her once more up and over the brink. And then she felt him enter her. This was not what she was expecting. This was uncomfortable, although not quite painful. She tried to protest but the spell stopped her. He soothed her, allowing her time, letting her adjust to him, to his size, before beginning to move in her. He slowly began to buffet her, increasing the tension, increasing the tautness, until she felt herself building to a contained, enclosed, restricted, but incredibly powerful explosion. He released the spell immobilizing her at the last moment and she reached around him with her arms and her legs, holding him close. She was trembling and shuddering, trying to calm her breathing and regain some semblance of composure.
He kissed her lightly on the mouth. "That was very good, my dear. I regret I have to leave so soon, but it is near dawn." He pulled away from her, adjusting his own clothes. "You will need to pull yourself together." He paused, suddenly grasping her head, threading his fingers through her tousled hair, and kissing her roughly. "I'll see you again soon," he promised and vanished, leaving the Miller's Daughter feeling suddenly abandoned.