Part 3
It was nearly noon when Darcie awoke the next day. Physically she felt refreshed, but mentally...
A mountain of guilt was pressing down on her. What was wrong with her? How could she have had that horrible dream? It was SICK! And the dream made her do... THAT! It was disgusting!
Darcie knew she had to do something. She couldn't keep going like this. She had to drive these bad feelings away. But how?
"Maybe I could talk to Meggy?" she thought. "Maybe she could help?"
But she quickly realized she couldn't tell her friend about her problems. If Meglin had any inkling about how warped Darcie was, Meglin wouldn't want to see her, or even speak to her, ever again.
Darcie started to cry. She just didn't know what to do!
Then she came to the same conclusion as she had yesterday - the problems centered on the wizard. All this had started when she went with Meglin to the edge of his property. She had to return there, and then... do something. She had no idea what, though.
She quickly bathed and dressed, then prepared to leave the house. She didn't have anything to eat; she wasn't very hungry. But before she had a chance to go Meglin stopped by, wanting to do something with her. Darcie told her, "I'm sorry, Mehgaleena. I'm not feeling well today."
Meglin, startled by Darcie's formal use of her name, looked closely at her friend and asked, "Darcie - were you crying??"
Darcie shook her head no.
Meglin was concerned. Darcie was acting strangely; clearly something was very wrong. But she sensed she shouldn't push the issue right at the moment, so she just said, "I hope you feel better, Darcie!! If there's anything I can do to help, just ask!!"
Darcie gave her a weak smile, then Meglin left. A few minutes later Darcie headed toward the forest. As she walked through the trees she desperately tried to come up with a solution to her problem. One idea she had was something she had thought of, but rejected, yesterday - she could deliberately get herself in trouble by trespassing on the wizard's land. Matheus had warned her she'd be spanked longer and harder next time. Although that kind of scared her, it might be exactly what she needed, something that would hopefully drive all the badness out of her. She wasn't happy with the idea, though, and hoped she could come up with something better. Still - she'd keep it in mind as a last resort.
Soon she was at the border of the wizard's land. She gazed at his house for a while, and then his garden. She was hoping some ideas would come to mind, something that would help her, but none did. She decided she'd sit against a tree just as before. She knew there was a risk of falling asleep and getting herself in trouble again, but she thought if that happened then so be it - she'd just accept the spanking she'd get and hope it cured her. As she leaned back against the tree, however, she decided she'd make it a point to stay awake!
It was relaxing sitting there, just listening to the sounds of the forest. She felt better now than she had since she woke up that day. A gentle breeze caressed her. She soon fell into the arms of Morpheus, who rocked her gently to sleep.
*********
Meglin waited a couple hours, then returned to Darcie's home; she was worried about her friend and wanted to check on her. But Darcie wasn't there. Meglin was pretty sure she knew where her friend had gone, and began walking southward.
As Meglin neared the end of the secret trail she saw Darcie sitting there, her back against a tree. Meglin walked up to her and saw she was fast asleep. Her friend looked completely at peace; there was no hint of the distress Meglin had seen on her earlier.
Meglin stood there and watched Darcie for a few minutes. She was thinking. She had an idea but wanted to make sure - very sure - that it was the right thing to do. Meglin understood Darcie better than Darcie understood herself. Satisfied with her idea, Meglin decided to act.
Gathering up her courage, Meglin crossed the fence into the wizard's land. She knew she was taking a considerable risk. The wizard's warning to her echoed in her mind: "...you'll be spanked until you can't sit down for a week. And you won't sit comfortably for a good long while after that."
Meglin had just recently received the punishment of her life - three hard spankings - and was still plenty sore from the ordeal. She hadn't been able to sit for two full days. But the wizard was talking about not sitting for a week! She didn't see how that was even possible! However... she was dealing with a wizard - she had no doubt whatsoever that his warning was no idle threat. If he caught her on his property she was going to be very, very sorry.
Meglin glanced back at Darcie and thought, "I hope you appreciate this!!!!! I'm risking my ass for you!!!!!" Meglin then walked quickly to the wizard's garden, carefully watching the door to his house as she proceeded.
Working as fast and as silently as she possibly could, she picked many sweetfruit from the garden and stuffed them into her backpack. As she did this she fully expected to hear the wizard's voice, saying something like, "I warned you Mehgaleena! Now you're really going to get it!"
Her work was not interrupted, however, to her considerable relief. She was almost there! She walked a little way back toward where Darcie was sleeping, then she took one of the sweetfruit she had picked and placed it on the ground. She walked a little farther and repeated her actions. In no time she was back in the forest standing aside of her friend, an obvious trail of bright red fruit leading from the wizard's garden right to that spot! Quietly, Meglin placed the remainder of the sweetfruit in a pile right aside of Darcie. She hesitated, confirming in her mind one last time that she was doing the right thing, then she smiled lovingly at her sleeping friend and left.
*********
It was late afternoon when Darcie awoke, feeling refreshed. She yawned and prepared to stand up. As she rejoined the waking world, she noticed a little pile of sweetfruit sitting there right aside of her. She just stared at it, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. Then her eyes widened. "Oh No!!!!" she thought.
Before she had a chance to stand, she heard the rustle of someone approaching. "Hi Darcella," a voice said. "I see you're finally awake!"
Darcie looked up and saw Matheus. Then she looked back over at the pile of sweetfruit. Slowly she stood up.
"I didn't want to wake you," the wizard said. "You looked so relaxed!" He glanced at the sweetfruit and added, "I think we need to talk."
The wizard pointed toward his garden. Darcella looked in that direction and saw a line of sweetfruit leading from the garden right to the pile of sweetfruit resting aside of her. Obviously she had had another episode of walking in her sleep. From the evidence before her, she had apparently been rather busy.
Darcie leaned against the tree. She had known there was a chance of something like this happening when she sat down there, but she hadn't really expected anything to! And anyway she surely hadn't expected anything so dramatic! She must have picked 20 or 30 of the wizard's prized fruit!
"The wizard must be furious with me!" she thought. "Any second now he's going to explode and start yelling at me! In his anger he's going to spank me really, really hard!!" Darcie was all ready to burst into tears.
"When was the last time you had something to eat, Darcie?"
The wizard's soft questioning words and his use of Darcella's nickname had a tremendous calming effect. The wizard seemed to have a knack for defusing emotionally-charged situations.
Darcie looked closely at Matheus, carefully watching his eyes. As always, not even a hint of anger was present. Darcie's tears retreated. Then she realized she was really hungry!
"Well..." Darcie started, "actually..."
"How about if I fix us something to eat?" Matheus suggested. "Would you like that?"
Darcie smiled and nodded.
Motioning toward the pile of fruit, the wizard said, "Let's gather these up. I'll need a couple anyway to make a fresh batch of sweetfruit juice!"
Soon they were inside the wizard's house, with Matheus preparing a meal. Darcie's mouth watered from the aromas wafting from the kitchen. She was pretty relaxed, although she was mindful of what she expected to happen at some point; she was almost certain the wizard was going to spank her. But at the moment she found it hard to worry about that - she was really hungry and her thoughts were mainly focused on food!
Matheus set the meal he had prepared on the dining room table and called Darcie to come and sit down. Soon Darcie was enjoying the wizard's cooking. Apparently magic wasn't the only thing he was good at! Darcie tried not to make a pig out of herself, but her attempts met with limited success - she was very hungry and the food was delicious!
After the meal, Matheus poured Darcie a glass of sweetfruit juice and asked her to come into the living room to talk. She brought her juice along, careful not to spill any during her travels. Darcie took a sip, then set her glass on a small table. She looked out a nearby window. It had been a sunny day, but now the sun was going down. Darcie gazed at the beautiful sunset.
Suddenly she jumped up. "I have to go!!!" she exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" Matheus asked her.
"It'll be dark soon! I don't want to walk through the forest after sundown!"
"True," said the wizard, "it wouldn't be wise to try to traverse the forest in the dark. It's alright though - you can just stay here for the night."
Darcie really felt she should get back to her house, but she actually couldn't see any reason not to stay. She was unsure about it though. She said, "I don't know..."
"It'll be fine, don't worry. I'll get a room set up for you - it'll only take me a few minutes. Just sit down, relax, and enjoy your juice!"
Darcie sat back down, but she was still apprehensive. After all, this was the home of a powerful wizard! She really didn't belong there! On the other hand, the dinner had been awfully good...
She took another sip of the delicious juice. Well, it was really too late in the day to make the journey through the forest. And it would only be one night...
Matheus returned and told Darcie her room was ready. He told her he'd show it to her after they had talked. Darcie knew very well what the subject of the conversation would be, but she was finding it difficult to be overly concerned, not after that meal and with a glass of sweetfruit juice in front of her! Still, she couldn't help but to be a little nervous.
Matheus sat down. "Now Darcie, I'm sure you remember what I said to you the last time you were here."
Darcie remembered well. In fact, she recalled his exact words. They played through her mind: "...your spanking will be a good deal longer and harder."
Darcie simply said, "Yes, sir."
Matheus said, "Well, I'm sure you realize you're going to be spanked. I understand this was another case where you didn't deliberately do anything wrong. Nevertheless, you were still on my property without permission and you picked quite a few of my sweetfruit."
Darcie looked downward and repeated, "Yes, sir."
"I'm certainly not angry with you. It's just that, well, like I mentioned the last time - rules are rules."
Darcie looked up at him.
"On the other hand, there's certainly no need for me to spank you today anymore! I think you've had a rather difficult day. How about if we hold the spanking off until tomorrow morning?"
Darcie didn't disagree.
Then Matheus and Darcie sat there and talked until it was late at night. He told her some interesting stories - he had many amazing experiences to share! Darcie was fascinated and enjoyed hearing about them.
At one point Darcie asked, "Is it true that wizards sometimes turn people into toads?" It was something she was curious about; she hoped she didn't offend the wizard with her question.
The wizard coughed as if something had gotten stuck in his throat. The question had caught him completely off-guard!
"Well.........." he began. After a pause, he continued. "It actually is true that many wizards have that ability." Seeing the beginnings of alarm starting to form on Darcie's face, he quickly added, "Of course it's not something I'd ever do myself! That would be cruel, and I'm just not like that!"
He saw Darcie relax. The wizard thought to himself, "Of course there was that one time... but that individual was so completely obnoxious! They deserved having to spend the night on a lily pad in the middle of a pond! Anyway, the spell only lasted one night so it doesn't count!!"
The wizard firmly declared to Darcie, "So while it's theoretically possible, I'd absolutely NEVER do that!"
Darcie smiled.
*********
After they talked, Matheus led Darcie to her room. There was a nice bed, all made up for her. He went into the attached bathroom and pointed out an odd-looking structure located aside of the bathtub. It was like a closet, but was open on one side.
"After you bathe," Matheus said, "just step in here. It'll dry you off."
Darcie eyed the strange closet suspiciously.
The wizard laughed. "It's OK; it actually works quite well. It's quicker and more effective then drying yourself with a towel!"
They left the bathroom, then Matheus pointed to the dresser and said, "Your bedclothes are in the top drawer." He saw Darcie start to look a little uncomfortable and decided he should leave, not wanting to embarrass her. "I'll bid you good night now! Sleep well!!"
"Good night!" Darcie replied, then remembering her manners, added, "Thank you very much for the dinner!"
Matheus smiled and replied, "You're quite welcome!" Then he left her room.
*********
Darcie decided to take a bath before she went to bed. She thought about waiting until the morning, but she had had a full day and thought a bath would help relax her. She felt a little weird about bathing in the wizard's house, but she shook the feeling off, not seeing anything wrong with it.
She filled the tub with warm water, undressed, and put her clothes neatly on a chair in her room. Then she got in the tub.
The warm water felt fantastic. She cleaned herself, then lay back; she felt like she could fall asleep right in the tub. As she lay there she thought about what was going to happen in the morning. But she was feeling too relaxed to worry about it. Also, she had learned to trust the wizard and knew he wouldn't do anything that would really hurt her. She imagined she'd be feeling a little uncomfortable when the time came, but she didn't expect it would be all that bad.
Then one thing came to mind that especially concerned her - would he spank her over her pants again or would he want to spank her on her bare bottom? The thought of being exposed like that bothered her a lot. She thought about it a while, then decided if the wizard wanted her to pull her pants down she'd ask for an alternative - she'd keep them up and he could spank her harder to make up for it. Yes, that's what she'd do, she told herself. Anyway, tomorrow would be another day; she was really tired and needed to get to bed!
She got out of the tub and automatically looked for a towel. Not seeing one, she remembered the wizard telling her to enter the strange closet in order to dry herself. She walked up to it and looked at it skeptically. Its interior walls had scenes of a desert - cactuses, sand, and bright sunlight. She considered just waiting for herself to drip-dry, but realized it would take too long. She decided to try the drying closet.
When she stepped into it she felt a slight breeze. The air was warm. Gradually the breeze became stronger until she was enveloped in currents of rushing warm air. She couldn't tell what was causing the air to flow; she thought maybe it was magical. Anyway, it felt great! It dried her quickly, but she stayed inside even after she was dry; she loved the feeling of the warm wind caressing her.
When Darcie left the drying closet she was nearly asleep on her feet. She went back into her room and opened the top dresser drawer. As the wizard had told her, there were nightclothes for her there. She quickly put them on; they consisted of a long-sleeved top and full length bottoms, very similar to what she always wore. They were slightly too large for her, but not so much so that it caused a problem. The material was soft and very comfortable.
Darcie climbed into bed and pulled the covers up. Unlike the previous two nights she felt relaxed and at peace. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She slept soundly the entire night, barely even stirring.
*********
It took a few moments for Darcie to realize where she was when she woke up the next morning. Once she had reoriented herself, her very first thought was, "I'm going to be spanked." She thought of staying in bed a while longer, but didn't see the point - it would only be delaying the inevitable.
She got up, dressed, and then opened the door to her room. She didn't see the wizard and thought, "Maybe he forgot about me." But then she thought, "Not likely." Her second thought was correct; Matheus approached her.
"Come into the living room, please," Matheus told her.
She swallowed nervously, then did as she was told. She was more concerned about her pants being pulled down than she was about the upcoming spanking itself. The wizard sat in a chair and motioned to her. She walked over and stood beside him.
Matheus said, "I think it would make more sense to give you your spanking now, rather than waiting until after breakfast."
Hearing about breakfast was good news to Darcie. She hadn't known that would be offered to her! If the wizard's breakfast was anywhere near as good as his dinner was, she was in for a treat! But then her thoughts returned to her pants. She looked at the wizard, awaiting his command for her to lower them. Last night, she thought that when the time came she'd argue with him and offer an alternative. At the moment, though, she didn't see how she could do that - he had such a commanding presence!
Matheus looked intently at Darcie, as if he was pondering something. She squirmed under his gaze. Then he said, "If you're ready, then please lie down over my lap."
Quite relieved that she hadn't been told to lower her pants, Darcie lay over Matheus's lap. She felt his one arm press down against her lower back. It felt strangely comforting to her.
The wizard rested his hand on her left cheek, then raised it. Darcie heard and felt a sharp smack as his palm struck her bottom. Another smack followed; her spanking had begun.
Matheus was spanking her a little harder this time. Darcie noticed the difference immediately, as a more pronounced sting accompanied each smack. Still, with her pants providing her with some pretty good insulation, the stinging wasn't too bad. Darcie wasn't aware of how much of a difference her pants made; her main concern was that they protect her backside from external viewing, rather than from the wizard's descending palm.
Despite the harder smacks Darcie felt surprisingly at peace. It helped considerably that she trusted the wizard; he had shown her kindness and she was actually starting to like him. It helped, too, that she had been spanked once before and had at least an idea of what to expect.
As the spanking continued, Darcie's bottom began to tingle; the individual smacks were starting to add up. She was definitely getting more than she did the last time. She was starting to understand that she was getting an actual punishment rather than the relatively mild warning she had previously received.
A deep heat was building in her cheeks as the tingling became more pronounced. The stinging slaps continued to land. Darcie was feeling a confusing mix of things. On the one hand, her rear end was starting to get a little uncomfortable; she wasn't surprised at this considering the continuing attention it was getting. But on the other hand she could feel herself starting to get aroused. This bothered her, and she started to squirm.
The wizard's arm held her down, though, and his hand continued to spank her bottom. Darcie fought against her feelings of arousal as best she could. She was able to push some of her excitement away, but not all of it.
Her cheeks were getting even hotter now. Underneath her pants they were turning a deep shade of pink. A thought went through her mind: "I deserve this." That didn't help her at all, as the feelings of arousal she was actively denying became stronger. She hoped the spanking would end soon - the last thing she wanted was for the wizard to notice her bizarre feelings!
Smack after smack continued to land. Darcie's breathing became a little heavier. She now lay still on the wizard's lap as her backside continued to receive his punishment. She was definitely feeling some discomfort now, yet the arousal she so despised just wouldn't go away.
The wizard was giving her a much longer spanking this time, exactly as he had promised. She knew she'd be feeling the aftereffects of this for a lot longer than she had with her last spanking; the effects of her last spanking had dissipated later that same day.
Then she no longer felt the impacts from his hand. Her spanking was over! The wizard held her down a little while longer, then raised his arm and told her she could get up.
As Darcie climbed off Matheus's lap she looked away from him, not wanting to meet his eyes. Although she hadn't let it get out of control, she was still unhappy with the excitement she had felt as she was spanked. Why would she feel that while she was being punished? It was weird and made no sense; she couldn't let the wizard become aware of it.
The wizard could tell Darcie was upset, but misinterpreted the cause. He thought the discomfort from the spanking was what was bothering her.
"Come here, Darcie," he said, and guided her to the bed in her room. "Just lie down on your stomach. You'll feel better soon. While you're resting I'll get some breakfast together."
Darcie did as suggested. It was obvious to her that the wizard had noticed her unhappiness - she was relieved he thought it was from the soreness she felt as a result of the spanking.
It wasn't long before aromas from the upcoming breakfast drifted into the bedroom. Darcie's spirits rose considerably. Once the preparations were completed, Matheus came into the bedroom and told Darcie that breakfast was ready. She enthusiastically followed him to the table.
Matheus had placed a soft cushion on her seat. Darcie blushed a little as she sat on it. She actually didn't need the cushion but she appreciated the wizard's thoughtfulness anyway.
After enjoying another of the wizard's delicious meals, Darcie was asked by Matheus if she'd like to see a few magical items he had in the house. Darcie's eyes lit up and she immediately answered, "Yes!"
Matheus led her to a room where a number of odd-looking items adorned the shelves. He demonstrated some of these items to her. There was something that looked like an ordinary sand-timer, but as the sand poured into the lower container the sounds of birds could be heard. The type of bird which sang varied with the level of the sand. There was also a magic fountain which sprayed water into the air. The water just hovered above the fountain, then slowly drifted across the room and gently fell into a receiving container.
As Matheus showed some of these marvels to Darcie, her eyes fixed upon a strange-looking plate resting on an upper shelf. She went over to it and stared at it. It was white in color and had intricate designs, not unlike those on the wizard's hat. Darcie could almost feel the power radiating from it. She felt strangely drawn to the plate.
The wizard watched her curiously. It was odd the way she seemed to be so fascinated by that particular item. The plate was something that was crafted by the Ancients in the distant past. Matheus, of course, knew exactly what the plate was for and would explain it to Darcie, but not just yet. There was something else too, something way back in the recesses of his mind. Matheus frowned as he tried to remember... there was some rare effect that the plate could have, something in addition to its usual purpose. He simply couldn't remember though... he had had that plate for a very, very long time and it had only ever been used for one thing.
"What does this do?" Darcie asked, staring at the plate.
"I'll tell you all about that a little later, Darcie. It's actually rather important that you understand about that plate."
Matheus then showed Darcie a few more of his magical artefacts, but her eyes kept returning to the plate.
Finally it was nearing time for Darcie to be on her way. The wizard picked up the plate and carried it with him as they walked to the living room and sat down.
Matheus said, "Darcie, I've really enjoyed your company. You're a nice young woman and I wish you the best. But now I must warn you - wizards, especially very old ones like me, relish their privacy. It's quite unusual for me to have guests on my land, especially non-magical ones."
"How old ARE you?" Darcie asked. Although the question might have sounded a little impolite, she had asked out of genuine curiosity and had meant no disrespect.
The wizard laughed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Let's just say my age is a very large number!"
"Anyway," Matheus continued, "it just doesn't do for non-magical folk to mix with wizards. It's just the way of things. So... I must ask you, Darcie, never to return to my land."
Darcie was crestfallen - she had grown rather fond of the old wizard.
Seeing the look on her face, the wizard reiterated, "It's nothing against you, Darcie - as I said, I've enjoyed having you around. But really, it must stop now."
Darcie sadly nodded in understanding. But then she remembered something and said, "But you let non-wizards visit sometimes. You allowed Mehgaleena and her parents to visit!"
"That was different," Matheus replied. "Meglin's parents thought their daughter had been treated unjustly and bravely confronted me about it. That's hardly the same as trespassing and stealing sweetfruit!"
As Darcie prepared to protest, Matheus added, "...even while asleep!"
Darcie frowned, then opened her mouth to suggest that perhaps she could, on occasion, stop by for a bite to eat. But before she could get the first word out, she saw the wizard's one eyebrow go up. She closed her mouth again.
"Now please listen to me carefully. If you ever set foot on my land again for ANY reason, I'll have to use this on you." Matheus held up the plate.
"This is called a Tearcatcher. It's a very old and powerful artefact. The last thing I would want to do is use this on you, but that's exactly what will happen if you trespass again, even unintentionally."
Darcie was a little scared by Matheus's words, but she still felt herself strangely drawn to the plate. She had trouble pulling her eyes away from it.
"Now you don't need to be frightened," Matheus continued. "You certainly wouldn't actually be harmed by this. You would, however, be very sore!"
Darcie moved her eyes away from the plate and looked at Matheus.
"You see," he continued, "what happens is that this plate is placed on the floor near a chair, a chair that I sit on. The unfortunate young woman whom the plate is to be used on lies over my lap so her face is just above the plate. She's then spanked long and hard. She's spanked until enough of her tears have fallen onto the plate to satisfy it."
Darcie's eyes widened. "You mean the spanking doesn't stop until the plate is completely filled up with tears?????"
"No, no," Matheus smiled, "it's not quite THAT bad. No... the spanking ends when the plate has collected ENOUGH tears. But exactly how many tears that represents varies. The plate demands that the woman be spanked for as long and as hard as she NEEDS to be spanked. It's magic, you see. The plate somehow knows when the poor woman has received just the right amount of punishment. Now it seems to me that the plate is rather overzealous in that respect ('in fact, it seems like the plate rather enjoys having young women's bottoms spanked long and hard', Matheus thought to himself) - it seems to go a little overboard. But in any case, once a woman is punished with the Tearcatcher, whatever misbehavior has led to her punishment is corrected - completely and permanently.
"There's, uh, another thing, too. When the plate is used it demands that the woman, uh, not be wearing anything."
Darcie immediately asked, "Nothing?"
"Nothing at all."
The wizard thought for a moment, then said, "It's been years since I've used this thing. The last time it was used was on a woman who stole some things from my garden... including sweetfruit! To make matters even worse, she had stolen my hat as well! I take it off sometimes while doing work, you see, and just happened to have it sitting near the garden. Well the woman took the hat and used it as a storage container for the stolen food!"
Matheus shook his head. "About the only thing worse you can do than stealing a wizard's hat is to steal it and then wear it. At least she didn't go that far, fortunately for her!! Even so, she was really taught a lesson! Did she ever have a sore bottom when I was through with her! But, as is always the case when the plate is used, the woman got the spanking she needed. She had been a thief and stole from many others prior to making the mistake of stealing from me. Well, after the spanking she received she completely reformed and never stole again! She was a lot happier after that. Still... I think there are better, certainly less uncomfortable, ways of straightening oneself out!"
Darcie was staring at the plate with an expression of wonder on her face. Then she asked, "But how does it work? How does it tell you when to stop the spanking?"
"It forms a type of magical synergy with the wizard employing it... me."
Darcie frowned slightly, then asked, "You mean it takes over your mind?"
The wizard replied, "No, it combines its magic with mine. It's rather difficult to explain. The bottom line is that even though I'm the one who is giving the spanking, it's the plate that decides how long and hard it is."
Fascinated, Darcie asked, "Did you ever use it on anyone else?"
"Yes. Although I don't use it often, I do find it necessary from time to time. There was another woman who, a long, long time ago, actually tried to break the plate! She had been causing me some problems, so I showed her the plate and warned her what would happen if she didn't desist. She grabbed the plate and bashed it into a table just as hard as she could! The plate didn't break, of course - it would require a strong magical spell to damage it. However, the plate seemed to have been somewhat... annoyed by her actions."
Matheus winced. "I'm afraid that woman found it impossible to sit for a good many days. Yes, she really got it! However, the plate had managed to reform her, too. She had been completely out of control and was heading down the wrong path - a path which eventually would have been disastrous for her. Well, after that punishment she got herself completely turned around and things went much better for her from that time forward! She actually returned a year later to thank me!"
Matheus stood up and said, "But now, Darcie, it's time for you to be on your way."
Darcie stood up, and the wizard walked over to her.
Looking intently at her, Matheus said, "Now I want you to promise to NEVER set foot on my land again. OK?"
"I promise!"
"And I want you also to promise NOT to take naps near the borders of my land. No more sleepwalking mishaps, right?"
"I promise!"
The wizard smiled and said, "Very good!" He then got a small bag and walked outside with Darcie. They walked to the garden, where Matheus picked some sweetfruit and placed them in the bag.
"Here you go," he said, smiling. "Enjoy these! I really do wish you the very best. Good bye and good luck!"
It was nearly noon when Darcie awoke the next day. Physically she felt refreshed, but mentally...
A mountain of guilt was pressing down on her. What was wrong with her? How could she have had that horrible dream? It was SICK! And the dream made her do... THAT! It was disgusting!
Darcie knew she had to do something. She couldn't keep going like this. She had to drive these bad feelings away. But how?
"Maybe I could talk to Meggy?" she thought. "Maybe she could help?"
But she quickly realized she couldn't tell her friend about her problems. If Meglin had any inkling about how warped Darcie was, Meglin wouldn't want to see her, or even speak to her, ever again.
Darcie started to cry. She just didn't know what to do!
Then she came to the same conclusion as she had yesterday - the problems centered on the wizard. All this had started when she went with Meglin to the edge of his property. She had to return there, and then... do something. She had no idea what, though.
She quickly bathed and dressed, then prepared to leave the house. She didn't have anything to eat; she wasn't very hungry. But before she had a chance to go Meglin stopped by, wanting to do something with her. Darcie told her, "I'm sorry, Mehgaleena. I'm not feeling well today."
Meglin, startled by Darcie's formal use of her name, looked closely at her friend and asked, "Darcie - were you crying??"
Darcie shook her head no.
Meglin was concerned. Darcie was acting strangely; clearly something was very wrong. But she sensed she shouldn't push the issue right at the moment, so she just said, "I hope you feel better, Darcie!! If there's anything I can do to help, just ask!!"
Darcie gave her a weak smile, then Meglin left. A few minutes later Darcie headed toward the forest. As she walked through the trees she desperately tried to come up with a solution to her problem. One idea she had was something she had thought of, but rejected, yesterday - she could deliberately get herself in trouble by trespassing on the wizard's land. Matheus had warned her she'd be spanked longer and harder next time. Although that kind of scared her, it might be exactly what she needed, something that would hopefully drive all the badness out of her. She wasn't happy with the idea, though, and hoped she could come up with something better. Still - she'd keep it in mind as a last resort.
Soon she was at the border of the wizard's land. She gazed at his house for a while, and then his garden. She was hoping some ideas would come to mind, something that would help her, but none did. She decided she'd sit against a tree just as before. She knew there was a risk of falling asleep and getting herself in trouble again, but she thought if that happened then so be it - she'd just accept the spanking she'd get and hope it cured her. As she leaned back against the tree, however, she decided she'd make it a point to stay awake!
It was relaxing sitting there, just listening to the sounds of the forest. She felt better now than she had since she woke up that day. A gentle breeze caressed her. She soon fell into the arms of Morpheus, who rocked her gently to sleep.
*********
Meglin waited a couple hours, then returned to Darcie's home; she was worried about her friend and wanted to check on her. But Darcie wasn't there. Meglin was pretty sure she knew where her friend had gone, and began walking southward.
As Meglin neared the end of the secret trail she saw Darcie sitting there, her back against a tree. Meglin walked up to her and saw she was fast asleep. Her friend looked completely at peace; there was no hint of the distress Meglin had seen on her earlier.
Meglin stood there and watched Darcie for a few minutes. She was thinking. She had an idea but wanted to make sure - very sure - that it was the right thing to do. Meglin understood Darcie better than Darcie understood herself. Satisfied with her idea, Meglin decided to act.
Gathering up her courage, Meglin crossed the fence into the wizard's land. She knew she was taking a considerable risk. The wizard's warning to her echoed in her mind: "...you'll be spanked until you can't sit down for a week. And you won't sit comfortably for a good long while after that."
Meglin had just recently received the punishment of her life - three hard spankings - and was still plenty sore from the ordeal. She hadn't been able to sit for two full days. But the wizard was talking about not sitting for a week! She didn't see how that was even possible! However... she was dealing with a wizard - she had no doubt whatsoever that his warning was no idle threat. If he caught her on his property she was going to be very, very sorry.
Meglin glanced back at Darcie and thought, "I hope you appreciate this!!!!! I'm risking my ass for you!!!!!" Meglin then walked quickly to the wizard's garden, carefully watching the door to his house as she proceeded.
Working as fast and as silently as she possibly could, she picked many sweetfruit from the garden and stuffed them into her backpack. As she did this she fully expected to hear the wizard's voice, saying something like, "I warned you Mehgaleena! Now you're really going to get it!"
Her work was not interrupted, however, to her considerable relief. She was almost there! She walked a little way back toward where Darcie was sleeping, then she took one of the sweetfruit she had picked and placed it on the ground. She walked a little farther and repeated her actions. In no time she was back in the forest standing aside of her friend, an obvious trail of bright red fruit leading from the wizard's garden right to that spot! Quietly, Meglin placed the remainder of the sweetfruit in a pile right aside of Darcie. She hesitated, confirming in her mind one last time that she was doing the right thing, then she smiled lovingly at her sleeping friend and left.
*********
It was late afternoon when Darcie awoke, feeling refreshed. She yawned and prepared to stand up. As she rejoined the waking world, she noticed a little pile of sweetfruit sitting there right aside of her. She just stared at it, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. Then her eyes widened. "Oh No!!!!" she thought.
Before she had a chance to stand, she heard the rustle of someone approaching. "Hi Darcella," a voice said. "I see you're finally awake!"
Darcie looked up and saw Matheus. Then she looked back over at the pile of sweetfruit. Slowly she stood up.
"I didn't want to wake you," the wizard said. "You looked so relaxed!" He glanced at the sweetfruit and added, "I think we need to talk."
The wizard pointed toward his garden. Darcella looked in that direction and saw a line of sweetfruit leading from the garden right to the pile of sweetfruit resting aside of her. Obviously she had had another episode of walking in her sleep. From the evidence before her, she had apparently been rather busy.
Darcie leaned against the tree. She had known there was a chance of something like this happening when she sat down there, but she hadn't really expected anything to! And anyway she surely hadn't expected anything so dramatic! She must have picked 20 or 30 of the wizard's prized fruit!
"The wizard must be furious with me!" she thought. "Any second now he's going to explode and start yelling at me! In his anger he's going to spank me really, really hard!!" Darcie was all ready to burst into tears.
"When was the last time you had something to eat, Darcie?"
The wizard's soft questioning words and his use of Darcella's nickname had a tremendous calming effect. The wizard seemed to have a knack for defusing emotionally-charged situations.
Darcie looked closely at Matheus, carefully watching his eyes. As always, not even a hint of anger was present. Darcie's tears retreated. Then she realized she was really hungry!
"Well..." Darcie started, "actually..."
"How about if I fix us something to eat?" Matheus suggested. "Would you like that?"
Darcie smiled and nodded.
Motioning toward the pile of fruit, the wizard said, "Let's gather these up. I'll need a couple anyway to make a fresh batch of sweetfruit juice!"
Soon they were inside the wizard's house, with Matheus preparing a meal. Darcie's mouth watered from the aromas wafting from the kitchen. She was pretty relaxed, although she was mindful of what she expected to happen at some point; she was almost certain the wizard was going to spank her. But at the moment she found it hard to worry about that - she was really hungry and her thoughts were mainly focused on food!
Matheus set the meal he had prepared on the dining room table and called Darcie to come and sit down. Soon Darcie was enjoying the wizard's cooking. Apparently magic wasn't the only thing he was good at! Darcie tried not to make a pig out of herself, but her attempts met with limited success - she was very hungry and the food was delicious!
After the meal, Matheus poured Darcie a glass of sweetfruit juice and asked her to come into the living room to talk. She brought her juice along, careful not to spill any during her travels. Darcie took a sip, then set her glass on a small table. She looked out a nearby window. It had been a sunny day, but now the sun was going down. Darcie gazed at the beautiful sunset.
Suddenly she jumped up. "I have to go!!!" she exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" Matheus asked her.
"It'll be dark soon! I don't want to walk through the forest after sundown!"
"True," said the wizard, "it wouldn't be wise to try to traverse the forest in the dark. It's alright though - you can just stay here for the night."
Darcie really felt she should get back to her house, but she actually couldn't see any reason not to stay. She was unsure about it though. She said, "I don't know..."
"It'll be fine, don't worry. I'll get a room set up for you - it'll only take me a few minutes. Just sit down, relax, and enjoy your juice!"
Darcie sat back down, but she was still apprehensive. After all, this was the home of a powerful wizard! She really didn't belong there! On the other hand, the dinner had been awfully good...
She took another sip of the delicious juice. Well, it was really too late in the day to make the journey through the forest. And it would only be one night...
Matheus returned and told Darcie her room was ready. He told her he'd show it to her after they had talked. Darcie knew very well what the subject of the conversation would be, but she was finding it difficult to be overly concerned, not after that meal and with a glass of sweetfruit juice in front of her! Still, she couldn't help but to be a little nervous.
Matheus sat down. "Now Darcie, I'm sure you remember what I said to you the last time you were here."
Darcie remembered well. In fact, she recalled his exact words. They played through her mind: "...your spanking will be a good deal longer and harder."
Darcie simply said, "Yes, sir."
Matheus said, "Well, I'm sure you realize you're going to be spanked. I understand this was another case where you didn't deliberately do anything wrong. Nevertheless, you were still on my property without permission and you picked quite a few of my sweetfruit."
Darcie looked downward and repeated, "Yes, sir."
"I'm certainly not angry with you. It's just that, well, like I mentioned the last time - rules are rules."
Darcie looked up at him.
"On the other hand, there's certainly no need for me to spank you today anymore! I think you've had a rather difficult day. How about if we hold the spanking off until tomorrow morning?"
Darcie didn't disagree.
Then Matheus and Darcie sat there and talked until it was late at night. He told her some interesting stories - he had many amazing experiences to share! Darcie was fascinated and enjoyed hearing about them.
At one point Darcie asked, "Is it true that wizards sometimes turn people into toads?" It was something she was curious about; she hoped she didn't offend the wizard with her question.
The wizard coughed as if something had gotten stuck in his throat. The question had caught him completely off-guard!
"Well.........." he began. After a pause, he continued. "It actually is true that many wizards have that ability." Seeing the beginnings of alarm starting to form on Darcie's face, he quickly added, "Of course it's not something I'd ever do myself! That would be cruel, and I'm just not like that!"
He saw Darcie relax. The wizard thought to himself, "Of course there was that one time... but that individual was so completely obnoxious! They deserved having to spend the night on a lily pad in the middle of a pond! Anyway, the spell only lasted one night so it doesn't count!!"
The wizard firmly declared to Darcie, "So while it's theoretically possible, I'd absolutely NEVER do that!"
Darcie smiled.
*********
After they talked, Matheus led Darcie to her room. There was a nice bed, all made up for her. He went into the attached bathroom and pointed out an odd-looking structure located aside of the bathtub. It was like a closet, but was open on one side.
"After you bathe," Matheus said, "just step in here. It'll dry you off."
Darcie eyed the strange closet suspiciously.
The wizard laughed. "It's OK; it actually works quite well. It's quicker and more effective then drying yourself with a towel!"
They left the bathroom, then Matheus pointed to the dresser and said, "Your bedclothes are in the top drawer." He saw Darcie start to look a little uncomfortable and decided he should leave, not wanting to embarrass her. "I'll bid you good night now! Sleep well!!"
"Good night!" Darcie replied, then remembering her manners, added, "Thank you very much for the dinner!"
Matheus smiled and replied, "You're quite welcome!" Then he left her room.
*********
Darcie decided to take a bath before she went to bed. She thought about waiting until the morning, but she had had a full day and thought a bath would help relax her. She felt a little weird about bathing in the wizard's house, but she shook the feeling off, not seeing anything wrong with it.
She filled the tub with warm water, undressed, and put her clothes neatly on a chair in her room. Then she got in the tub.
The warm water felt fantastic. She cleaned herself, then lay back; she felt like she could fall asleep right in the tub. As she lay there she thought about what was going to happen in the morning. But she was feeling too relaxed to worry about it. Also, she had learned to trust the wizard and knew he wouldn't do anything that would really hurt her. She imagined she'd be feeling a little uncomfortable when the time came, but she didn't expect it would be all that bad.
Then one thing came to mind that especially concerned her - would he spank her over her pants again or would he want to spank her on her bare bottom? The thought of being exposed like that bothered her a lot. She thought about it a while, then decided if the wizard wanted her to pull her pants down she'd ask for an alternative - she'd keep them up and he could spank her harder to make up for it. Yes, that's what she'd do, she told herself. Anyway, tomorrow would be another day; she was really tired and needed to get to bed!
She got out of the tub and automatically looked for a towel. Not seeing one, she remembered the wizard telling her to enter the strange closet in order to dry herself. She walked up to it and looked at it skeptically. Its interior walls had scenes of a desert - cactuses, sand, and bright sunlight. She considered just waiting for herself to drip-dry, but realized it would take too long. She decided to try the drying closet.
When she stepped into it she felt a slight breeze. The air was warm. Gradually the breeze became stronger until she was enveloped in currents of rushing warm air. She couldn't tell what was causing the air to flow; she thought maybe it was magical. Anyway, it felt great! It dried her quickly, but she stayed inside even after she was dry; she loved the feeling of the warm wind caressing her.
When Darcie left the drying closet she was nearly asleep on her feet. She went back into her room and opened the top dresser drawer. As the wizard had told her, there were nightclothes for her there. She quickly put them on; they consisted of a long-sleeved top and full length bottoms, very similar to what she always wore. They were slightly too large for her, but not so much so that it caused a problem. The material was soft and very comfortable.
Darcie climbed into bed and pulled the covers up. Unlike the previous two nights she felt relaxed and at peace. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She slept soundly the entire night, barely even stirring.
*********
It took a few moments for Darcie to realize where she was when she woke up the next morning. Once she had reoriented herself, her very first thought was, "I'm going to be spanked." She thought of staying in bed a while longer, but didn't see the point - it would only be delaying the inevitable.
She got up, dressed, and then opened the door to her room. She didn't see the wizard and thought, "Maybe he forgot about me." But then she thought, "Not likely." Her second thought was correct; Matheus approached her.
"Come into the living room, please," Matheus told her.
She swallowed nervously, then did as she was told. She was more concerned about her pants being pulled down than she was about the upcoming spanking itself. The wizard sat in a chair and motioned to her. She walked over and stood beside him.
Matheus said, "I think it would make more sense to give you your spanking now, rather than waiting until after breakfast."
Hearing about breakfast was good news to Darcie. She hadn't known that would be offered to her! If the wizard's breakfast was anywhere near as good as his dinner was, she was in for a treat! But then her thoughts returned to her pants. She looked at the wizard, awaiting his command for her to lower them. Last night, she thought that when the time came she'd argue with him and offer an alternative. At the moment, though, she didn't see how she could do that - he had such a commanding presence!
Matheus looked intently at Darcie, as if he was pondering something. She squirmed under his gaze. Then he said, "If you're ready, then please lie down over my lap."
Quite relieved that she hadn't been told to lower her pants, Darcie lay over Matheus's lap. She felt his one arm press down against her lower back. It felt strangely comforting to her.
The wizard rested his hand on her left cheek, then raised it. Darcie heard and felt a sharp smack as his palm struck her bottom. Another smack followed; her spanking had begun.
Matheus was spanking her a little harder this time. Darcie noticed the difference immediately, as a more pronounced sting accompanied each smack. Still, with her pants providing her with some pretty good insulation, the stinging wasn't too bad. Darcie wasn't aware of how much of a difference her pants made; her main concern was that they protect her backside from external viewing, rather than from the wizard's descending palm.
Despite the harder smacks Darcie felt surprisingly at peace. It helped considerably that she trusted the wizard; he had shown her kindness and she was actually starting to like him. It helped, too, that she had been spanked once before and had at least an idea of what to expect.
As the spanking continued, Darcie's bottom began to tingle; the individual smacks were starting to add up. She was definitely getting more than she did the last time. She was starting to understand that she was getting an actual punishment rather than the relatively mild warning she had previously received.
A deep heat was building in her cheeks as the tingling became more pronounced. The stinging slaps continued to land. Darcie was feeling a confusing mix of things. On the one hand, her rear end was starting to get a little uncomfortable; she wasn't surprised at this considering the continuing attention it was getting. But on the other hand she could feel herself starting to get aroused. This bothered her, and she started to squirm.
The wizard's arm held her down, though, and his hand continued to spank her bottom. Darcie fought against her feelings of arousal as best she could. She was able to push some of her excitement away, but not all of it.
Her cheeks were getting even hotter now. Underneath her pants they were turning a deep shade of pink. A thought went through her mind: "I deserve this." That didn't help her at all, as the feelings of arousal she was actively denying became stronger. She hoped the spanking would end soon - the last thing she wanted was for the wizard to notice her bizarre feelings!
Smack after smack continued to land. Darcie's breathing became a little heavier. She now lay still on the wizard's lap as her backside continued to receive his punishment. She was definitely feeling some discomfort now, yet the arousal she so despised just wouldn't go away.
The wizard was giving her a much longer spanking this time, exactly as he had promised. She knew she'd be feeling the aftereffects of this for a lot longer than she had with her last spanking; the effects of her last spanking had dissipated later that same day.
Then she no longer felt the impacts from his hand. Her spanking was over! The wizard held her down a little while longer, then raised his arm and told her she could get up.
As Darcie climbed off Matheus's lap she looked away from him, not wanting to meet his eyes. Although she hadn't let it get out of control, she was still unhappy with the excitement she had felt as she was spanked. Why would she feel that while she was being punished? It was weird and made no sense; she couldn't let the wizard become aware of it.
The wizard could tell Darcie was upset, but misinterpreted the cause. He thought the discomfort from the spanking was what was bothering her.
"Come here, Darcie," he said, and guided her to the bed in her room. "Just lie down on your stomach. You'll feel better soon. While you're resting I'll get some breakfast together."
Darcie did as suggested. It was obvious to her that the wizard had noticed her unhappiness - she was relieved he thought it was from the soreness she felt as a result of the spanking.
It wasn't long before aromas from the upcoming breakfast drifted into the bedroom. Darcie's spirits rose considerably. Once the preparations were completed, Matheus came into the bedroom and told Darcie that breakfast was ready. She enthusiastically followed him to the table.
Matheus had placed a soft cushion on her seat. Darcie blushed a little as she sat on it. She actually didn't need the cushion but she appreciated the wizard's thoughtfulness anyway.
After enjoying another of the wizard's delicious meals, Darcie was asked by Matheus if she'd like to see a few magical items he had in the house. Darcie's eyes lit up and she immediately answered, "Yes!"
Matheus led her to a room where a number of odd-looking items adorned the shelves. He demonstrated some of these items to her. There was something that looked like an ordinary sand-timer, but as the sand poured into the lower container the sounds of birds could be heard. The type of bird which sang varied with the level of the sand. There was also a magic fountain which sprayed water into the air. The water just hovered above the fountain, then slowly drifted across the room and gently fell into a receiving container.
As Matheus showed some of these marvels to Darcie, her eyes fixed upon a strange-looking plate resting on an upper shelf. She went over to it and stared at it. It was white in color and had intricate designs, not unlike those on the wizard's hat. Darcie could almost feel the power radiating from it. She felt strangely drawn to the plate.
The wizard watched her curiously. It was odd the way she seemed to be so fascinated by that particular item. The plate was something that was crafted by the Ancients in the distant past. Matheus, of course, knew exactly what the plate was for and would explain it to Darcie, but not just yet. There was something else too, something way back in the recesses of his mind. Matheus frowned as he tried to remember... there was some rare effect that the plate could have, something in addition to its usual purpose. He simply couldn't remember though... he had had that plate for a very, very long time and it had only ever been used for one thing.
"What does this do?" Darcie asked, staring at the plate.
"I'll tell you all about that a little later, Darcie. It's actually rather important that you understand about that plate."
Matheus then showed Darcie a few more of his magical artefacts, but her eyes kept returning to the plate.
Finally it was nearing time for Darcie to be on her way. The wizard picked up the plate and carried it with him as they walked to the living room and sat down.
Matheus said, "Darcie, I've really enjoyed your company. You're a nice young woman and I wish you the best. But now I must warn you - wizards, especially very old ones like me, relish their privacy. It's quite unusual for me to have guests on my land, especially non-magical ones."
"How old ARE you?" Darcie asked. Although the question might have sounded a little impolite, she had asked out of genuine curiosity and had meant no disrespect.
The wizard laughed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Let's just say my age is a very large number!"
"Anyway," Matheus continued, "it just doesn't do for non-magical folk to mix with wizards. It's just the way of things. So... I must ask you, Darcie, never to return to my land."
Darcie was crestfallen - she had grown rather fond of the old wizard.
Seeing the look on her face, the wizard reiterated, "It's nothing against you, Darcie - as I said, I've enjoyed having you around. But really, it must stop now."
Darcie sadly nodded in understanding. But then she remembered something and said, "But you let non-wizards visit sometimes. You allowed Mehgaleena and her parents to visit!"
"That was different," Matheus replied. "Meglin's parents thought their daughter had been treated unjustly and bravely confronted me about it. That's hardly the same as trespassing and stealing sweetfruit!"
As Darcie prepared to protest, Matheus added, "...even while asleep!"
Darcie frowned, then opened her mouth to suggest that perhaps she could, on occasion, stop by for a bite to eat. But before she could get the first word out, she saw the wizard's one eyebrow go up. She closed her mouth again.
"Now please listen to me carefully. If you ever set foot on my land again for ANY reason, I'll have to use this on you." Matheus held up the plate.
"This is called a Tearcatcher. It's a very old and powerful artefact. The last thing I would want to do is use this on you, but that's exactly what will happen if you trespass again, even unintentionally."
Darcie was a little scared by Matheus's words, but she still felt herself strangely drawn to the plate. She had trouble pulling her eyes away from it.
"Now you don't need to be frightened," Matheus continued. "You certainly wouldn't actually be harmed by this. You would, however, be very sore!"
Darcie moved her eyes away from the plate and looked at Matheus.
"You see," he continued, "what happens is that this plate is placed on the floor near a chair, a chair that I sit on. The unfortunate young woman whom the plate is to be used on lies over my lap so her face is just above the plate. She's then spanked long and hard. She's spanked until enough of her tears have fallen onto the plate to satisfy it."
Darcie's eyes widened. "You mean the spanking doesn't stop until the plate is completely filled up with tears?????"
"No, no," Matheus smiled, "it's not quite THAT bad. No... the spanking ends when the plate has collected ENOUGH tears. But exactly how many tears that represents varies. The plate demands that the woman be spanked for as long and as hard as she NEEDS to be spanked. It's magic, you see. The plate somehow knows when the poor woman has received just the right amount of punishment. Now it seems to me that the plate is rather overzealous in that respect ('in fact, it seems like the plate rather enjoys having young women's bottoms spanked long and hard', Matheus thought to himself) - it seems to go a little overboard. But in any case, once a woman is punished with the Tearcatcher, whatever misbehavior has led to her punishment is corrected - completely and permanently.
"There's, uh, another thing, too. When the plate is used it demands that the woman, uh, not be wearing anything."
Darcie immediately asked, "Nothing?"
"Nothing at all."
The wizard thought for a moment, then said, "It's been years since I've used this thing. The last time it was used was on a woman who stole some things from my garden... including sweetfruit! To make matters even worse, she had stolen my hat as well! I take it off sometimes while doing work, you see, and just happened to have it sitting near the garden. Well the woman took the hat and used it as a storage container for the stolen food!"
Matheus shook his head. "About the only thing worse you can do than stealing a wizard's hat is to steal it and then wear it. At least she didn't go that far, fortunately for her!! Even so, she was really taught a lesson! Did she ever have a sore bottom when I was through with her! But, as is always the case when the plate is used, the woman got the spanking she needed. She had been a thief and stole from many others prior to making the mistake of stealing from me. Well, after the spanking she received she completely reformed and never stole again! She was a lot happier after that. Still... I think there are better, certainly less uncomfortable, ways of straightening oneself out!"
Darcie was staring at the plate with an expression of wonder on her face. Then she asked, "But how does it work? How does it tell you when to stop the spanking?"
"It forms a type of magical synergy with the wizard employing it... me."
Darcie frowned slightly, then asked, "You mean it takes over your mind?"
The wizard replied, "No, it combines its magic with mine. It's rather difficult to explain. The bottom line is that even though I'm the one who is giving the spanking, it's the plate that decides how long and hard it is."
Fascinated, Darcie asked, "Did you ever use it on anyone else?"
"Yes. Although I don't use it often, I do find it necessary from time to time. There was another woman who, a long, long time ago, actually tried to break the plate! She had been causing me some problems, so I showed her the plate and warned her what would happen if she didn't desist. She grabbed the plate and bashed it into a table just as hard as she could! The plate didn't break, of course - it would require a strong magical spell to damage it. However, the plate seemed to have been somewhat... annoyed by her actions."
Matheus winced. "I'm afraid that woman found it impossible to sit for a good many days. Yes, she really got it! However, the plate had managed to reform her, too. She had been completely out of control and was heading down the wrong path - a path which eventually would have been disastrous for her. Well, after that punishment she got herself completely turned around and things went much better for her from that time forward! She actually returned a year later to thank me!"
Matheus stood up and said, "But now, Darcie, it's time for you to be on your way."
Darcie stood up, and the wizard walked over to her.
Looking intently at her, Matheus said, "Now I want you to promise to NEVER set foot on my land again. OK?"
"I promise!"
"And I want you also to promise NOT to take naps near the borders of my land. No more sleepwalking mishaps, right?"
"I promise!"
The wizard smiled and said, "Very good!" He then got a small bag and walked outside with Darcie. They walked to the garden, where Matheus picked some sweetfruit and placed them in the bag.
"Here you go," he said, smiling. "Enjoy these! I really do wish you the very best. Good bye and good luck!"