JoS/Kanna/8th Journal - Mistress Therana and the Kwama Princess

Frostfall, 4th, 3E 427

After spending a night at Castle Ebonheart, I set sail for Sadrith Mora on the other side of Vvardenfell. Getting there by boat is almost a must, as between the southwestern Ascadian Isles and the southeastern Azura's Coast, it's a volcanic no-man's-land, and riding a Silt Strider will only get you halfway to your destination. I guess you could also walk, but why do that when you can enjoy the sights of this marvelous archipelago and its hundreds, if not thousands of picturesque islands? Azura's Coast is more barren than the lush west is, so the landscape turned more alien as we sailed further east, but that doesn't take away from the beauty of these lands.

We didn't arrive until night, and I was fast asleep by the time we got there, but I could sleep peacefully since the boat wasn't leaving the port until noon of the next day.

Sadrith Mora is a large city on an island off the eastern coasts of Vvardenfell, roughly an equal distance away from the island of Vvardenfell as it is from the shores of the mainland and the Telvanni peninsula. The city itself doesn't look as large as some of the big cities I've visited, but it's very well spread out, with settlements even on the smaller islands towards Vvardenfell.

It's quite a different city from Balmora, which in turn is quite different from any town I've ever been to in Cyrodiil. Its name literally translates to "Mushroom Forest", and that's exactly what it is! The giant "Emperor Parosol" mushrooms grow taller here than anywhere else in Vvardenfell, with the tallest of them climbing hundreds of feet into the sky, much higher than most of the multi-store buildings and towers I've encountered on my journeys. The so-called "Mycoturges" can even manipulate these mushrooms using magic to create walls, bridges, and harbors, all without having to actually cut them down. Like seriously, imagine if this was the first place you landed in after traveling here from Cyrodiil and seeing all those buildings made out of giant mushrooms! No, wait, it's the other way around! They ARE giant mushrooms that are made into buildings! Talk about a culture shock!

Getting to the city from the harbor was surprisingly easy, considering how the city is divided. It's been segregated into two parts, with the non-Telvanni only being welcomed freely in the Imperial fortress of Wolverine Hall south of the city. In contrast, around the Telvanni council and the tower of Tel Naga in the middle of the city, people won't welcome you as freely. If you're allied with Telvanni, you won't have problems. If you're not, you'll probably be fine if you don't attract too much attention. Someone also talked to me about some "Hospitality papers" when I entered the city, but I never even found a vendor selling such papers, so I didn't care. It was probably a scam anyway.

You can also sail straight to the mainland without Imperials trying to tell you the island is sealed off. Sea routes only lead to Firewatch and some small nearby settlements like Marog, located just a three-hour trip away from here. There's also a sea route available to Port Telvannis, but the journey is long and expensive, and the ship only comes by about once a week, usually on Tirdas. Regardless, all this information is good to know.

Since this is Telvanni territory, you also tend to come across slaves, as this is one of the only places in all of Tamriel where it's still tolerated as legal practice. The Redoran doesn't condone slavery on this island, and neither does Hlaalu, at least not on paper. Sadrith Mora itself is a prominent harbor for the slave trade in this region, located smack bang in the middle of the Inner Sea. Like seriously, when I was visiting the marketplace, they were selling slaves out there in the open! They're primarily used for labor and household work, but there were some scantily-clad ladies wrapped in chains in the open-air markets as well. Owning a sex slave here is as socially acceptable as owning a dildo.

Elves have often considered themselves superior to others, meaning that Khajiit and Argonians are seen in slavery most often, especially in the fields of labor. I've even heard rumors about Argonian leather and Khajiit fur being used for trade, just reinforcing the idea of some Dunmer treating them like animals. Humans being enslaved in labor is a little rarer, but not wholly uncommon. The same can be said about fellow elves, although it's probably a lot rarer. I haven't seen a single elf in chains today.

As for sex slavery, you can imagine humans and my fellow elves being more popular in that field of "labor", and this seems to coincide with what I saw. Most of them were humans. I'm sure you can buy furry and scaly ladies to serve as sex toys as well. Or men. Of course, male sex slaves exist as well.

In addition, since slaves are considered property, those who oppose slavery and want to free the slaves from their masters are considered thieves. Oh, but you just wait, as that's not even the craziest part I heard today about this anarcho-capitalist "everything goes" society. More shockers about Telvanni law and customs were thrown my way when I finally got across applying to their House as a retainer.

I wasn't initially let inside the council house, which was the first time I had been denied entry to anywhere on this island, but after confirming with them that I was only looking to join, they let me in. I approached the "Mouths", who determined whether I would be an acceptable addition to their society or not. Mouths are, well, some kind of servants for their patrons, who in turn are the "Council", who are the highest-ranking members of this House? I'm not sure, the politics of this House is complicated. To be a Mouth means to be quite a high-ranking member of the House in its own right. I met five of them, and they all serve a different patron. They were happy with someone expressing interest in joining, especially someone as young as myself.

Before formally welcoming me, they explained their rules and customs… and by Mephala's saggy tits, are their rules quite different from what they have in any other guild I've ever heard of!

Rather than being defined by a strict set of laws to be upheld by a centralized government, Telvanni society is defined by its values, principles, and traditional customs, with mottos such as, "the forceful expression of will gives true honor to the Ancestors" and "the powerful define the standards of virtue", ringing true. This means that "crimes" such as stealing, murder, and rape are permitted here in theory, but that's not to say you can go around killing and violating people freely. You'll still get in trouble if you get caught. Especially if you get caught. After all, laws don't apply to punishments either, so criminals shouldn't expect fair trials here.

Still, stealing from others is allowed on a technicality as long as you manage to succeed. If you successfully steal from another member of the House and live to tell the tale, you obviously deserve whatever it is that you took, so there's that. I do notice a funny contradiction here though: if I were to steal a slave and lived to tell the tale, would I deserve it as my own? Would I not then be allowed to free that said slave, as they were now my own rightful property to do with as I please? Would that not make me a lawful abolitionist? I didn't ask any of the Mouths this. It's just a funny little thought experiment I thought of while writing this…

As far as killing and murder go, it's tolerated to an extent but still deeply frowned upon. Nobody will bat an eye if you kill someone trying to steal from you or in self-defense, which is not unheard of but still extreme by Imperial standards. Killing and murder are also considered acceptable means of advancing in ranks to assume your superior's position. "Murdering your opposition by magic is a traditional way of settling disputes", I was told. "If you successfully murder your opponent, your argument by definition has more merit than theirs". What kind of tradition is that? These traditions aren't that often practiced though, as trying to murder your superior could very well be a damn suicide, considering how mighty some of these wizards are. Telvanni masters are only second to the mages of Artaeum, and even then, I'm sure you can find those equal to the mightiest of Altmer living in these towers. Besides, hierarchy is highly respected here.

All in all, everyone is expected to trust their own judgment, and encouraged to be their own independent person, rather than being anyone's blind thrall. On that basis alone, I joined. As an institution, it's far "freer" than the Mage's Guild is in the end. Then again, it's only really "free" to those in control, as you can't really call those hired and even enslaved by the Telvanni "free". Might makes right here, I suppose.

Needless to say, I have some reservations about how this society operates. Still, in the end, despite everything I wrote, all these rules and customs simply exist to make the study and advancement of magic as free and open as possible, which is the guiding principle of the Telvanni society. That is what's most important to me and why I came here in the first place, so I can tolerate this society's imperfections. The positives here far outweigh the negatives in that sense, although I'm not gonna pretend like this is some kind of perfect utopia. After all, I feel awful for the slaves…

As for me being part of both Telvanni and the Mages Guild? They're at odds with one another, and some could even call their rivalry a war, so even though I can technically be considered a member of both these guilds, I can't imagine this status quo lasting forever. Undoubtedly, there will come a day when I must choose my allegiance once and for all. Hopefully not, as I just want to learn about magic, not get into the politics of these rivaling establishments.

Regardless, I'm gonna be staying here for a while now. I'm in no rush to return to the west coast quite yet. Hopefully it'll be fun!

Frostfall, 12th, 3E 427

For the past week or so, I've been busy doing work for the Telvanni, mostly just small errands and chores around the city and surrounding islands. Both the towers of Tel Fyr and Tel Aruhn are built on small islands just a short boat ride away from Sadrith Mora, but I only got to visit the latter. Tel Aruhn is where the Archmagister lives, and they offer quite a lot of services for the Telvanni members as well. No outsiders are allowed inside, though. Meanwhile, Tel Fyr is a private estate owned by a guy named Divayth Fyr, who supposedly prefers to stay away from politics. There's no work to be found there either, and no boats stop by, so there is no point in visiting.

I've also noticed that these people are really friendly to their fellow retainers, and you can enjoy a lot of great services. Like, there's just something so comforting about how those guards with their weird cephalopod helmets greet you warmly and even refer to you as "Muthsera". It's something the locals say to those they respect greatly, but I'm not sure what the direct translation is. Also, I think they use that term only when addressing women, as "Sera" is reserved for men. Then, there's also "Serjo", but where does that play in? Not sure…

What else? Well, the pay is amazing, as the Telvanni are filthy rich, and the work doesn't take too much of my time either. I've got quite a lot of drakes in my purse right now, more than I made in Balmora in a month. Coming here has been a very worthwhile decision monetarily!

Every day after business hours, I spend most of my free time in the local taverns, like Fara's Hole in the Wall, which has been a lot of fun! Yesterday, for example, I ended up getting hit on and had sex with some young Redguard named Rinina, an accomplished Spellwright in the service to the Archmagister. Not sure what he was doing there in Sadrith Mora, but it was the first and only time I've gotten laid during this little trip.

It's also a little weird that nobody really bats an eye at children engaging in courtship. Go hit on a little girl on the streets of Skingrad where I grew up, and the guards will take you away in chains, lock you in jail for being a pedophile, and throw away the key. The romance between adults and children has to be so very hush-hush in a normal, "polite" society, but not here.

Telvanni Retainers in a Telvanni society - no matter how young they are - have the same rights as legal adults do. That includes the ability to consent to sex, and nobody's gonna throw you in jail for engaging in consensual sex with a minor. I mean, I've always thought of myself as mature-minded enough to consent to sex despite being just ten, but you know, some adults can be annoying moral busybodies… I guess that's just their way of caring about children, who they want to protect from all the horrible evil that adults want to do to us or something. Or maybe they just want to control us. Either way, load of bollocks, I tell you.

I talked about earning cold-hard Septims, but that's only half of what I've gained here. Telvanni also compensate their Retainers with knowledge, partially as a reward and partially because the ability to cast complex incantations is seen as a requirement for advancement. One of these must-learn basics is "Levitation" magic, which was outlawed by the Empire some years ago. Yeah, illegal in most places, but considered "basics" here. It sounds scary and intimidating as a subject, but not because the spell itself is complex. It's just costly to cast, which I guess makes it difficult for the beginners and the magically inert, and you need to consider safety too. Mastering spells like Feather and Slowfall are the critical first steps in learning to levitate. Makes sense, as you really don't want to screw up your spell, fall down mid-levitation, and break your legs.

The primary driving factor behind successful levitation is focus above everything else. Don't even think about being able to succeed if you're out of breath; you're not going to be able to do it midair or in the middle of combat unless you're really experienced. I got the hang of it almost instantly, which was not at all what I expected, and neither did Galos, the Mouth tutoring me. Granted, I can't levitate very fast, but I can do it for a very long time! I was tested to see where my limits lie, and I could keep myself suspended in the air for three whole minutes before I felt like I could not will myself to float anymore. Pretty nice for my first training session, if I may say so myself!

Given that I have now learned the very basics of House Telvanni, it's time for some actual proper work. Felisa - another one of the Mouths - suggested that I should perhaps seek out her mistress, a mage by the name of Therana, who's been looking for an assistant on a little project she's been conducting. Felisa warned me that it will require a strong heart on my part and said that since I'm going to meet her patron, I should also run a small errand for her. She gave me a skirt, a really nice miniskirt, although maybe a little short… not that I like to wear skirts anyway. Therana resides on a small island in the town of Tel Branora. Getting to the island by foot is possible, but it's best to arrive by boat to avoid stress.

I'm happy to get some decent work now, but what puzzles me is, why would I need a strong heart?

Frostfall, 13th, 3E 427

I was told that Mistress Therana is an eccentric girl, but if you ask me, that's an understatement. She's a perverted lunatic!

I found her in a small and messy study room almost as soon as I got to the upper chambers of Tel Branora. There were books lying around along with some precious gemstones, and she was talking to a Khajiit man like he was just some kind of house cat. This man was butt-naked, apart from one piece of clothing, a slave's bracer on his right arm.

Therana herself is a tiny, fiery redhead with red eyes, the grey skin of the Dunmer, and a slim figure of a child. I was told that she is old, like really fucking old, so old in fact that she's gone completely senile and crazy in the head, but she looks younger than me. Forget about saggy tits; she doesn't even have tits! I'm bustier than her, and I'm ten! That's a freaking child, not some thousand-year-old granny! How can she look this young? What sorcery is at play here? Like, is she a vampire or what?

I approached her, apologizing just in case I was interrupting something important, and explained my business, saying Felisa had sent me. I got her attention immediately, but instead of responding to me with words, I could tell her eyes were squarely on the skirt I was holding. I told her it was a gift from Felisa, but instead of graciously accepting it when I tried to hand it over, she started rambling about how it could be cursed, and how there's just no way of knowing what kinds of tricks Felisa is planning to play on her. I looked at the skirt, turning it around in my hands, and tried to explain that it wasn't even enchanted, but she clearly didn't believe me.

"Then prove it", she said, pointing her finger at me with a furrowed brow and a judgmental fire in her eyes. "Get naked, now."

"E-excuse me?" I asked, mouth gaping from shock and surprise. I couldn't help but notice the Khajiit slave licking his lips, which made me even more uncomfortable.

"Therana needs to see you naked, and Therana needs you to put on the skirt", she ordered. "Need to make sure it's not cursed!"

That certainly wasn't what I expected, a powerful Dunmeri wizard talking in the third person! Whatever, I followed her request, feeling like I had no choice in the matter. It was so embarrassing to undress in front of someone I had just met, and the fact that there was this creepy beast of a man purring, meowing, and staring at me didn't help. Despite everything, I slowly got rid of all my clothes - only keeping my underwear on - and I was left with a pretty black skirt. Then, as soon as I raised it to my hip, she got mad at me.

"That's Therana's skirt!" she screamed and prepared a powerful spell. The only thing going through my mind was, is this how I would die, being transformed into a pile of glitter and stardust by some crazy magister's spell? I took the skirt off as fast as I could and started apologizing profusely, begging for her mercy, promising that I would never do anything of the sort ever again. She just giggled and said, "too late", and the next thing I knew, her spell blasted through me. It didn't hurt or even pinch, but as a result, I was left lying immobilized and stunned on my back in the middle of the room.

Therana walked right on top of me, stared me down with her arms crossed, and pressed the heel of her boot on my solar plexus. With a mischievous look in her eyes, and a surprisingly lustful smile on her puckered lips, she finally decided to address me. "So, Felisa sent you, huh?" she asked, giggling gleefully. Therana knew she could count on her! You're just the kind of slave that Therana needs for her next experiment!"

"I'm not a slave though. I'm a retainer", I said, trying to clear the misunderstanding. Too bad it didn't help.

"Retainer, slave, what's the difference?" she asked. The scariest part about the whole thing was her honest-to-gods serious expression and the fact that she probably believed every word of the nonsense spewing out of her mouth. "So anyway, Therana needs you to be a test subject for her experiment. You're gonna breed eggs."

Her suggestion stunned me, and I guess my brain just stopped working momentarily. I couldn't even focus on the breeding part when I asked her: "W-what do you mean, eggs…?"

"It's a cross-species breeding experiment!" she said without a shred of embarrassment or hesitation in her voice. "You're gonna breed, and then give birth to a lot of eggs!" she specified, almost as if this extremely abnormal and perverted idea was completely normal to her. Never mind the fact that the idea of breeding eggs sounds like something only a deviant and a true sexual degenerate could think of; I didn't think my body could even be capable of that!

"I'm not mature enough to get pregnant", I tried to explain.

"That's why Therana has to test this on you! Therana promises you, it's gonna be a lot of fantastic fun! And it's gonna feel AMAZING! Trust me, Therana knows!"

Well if it's so much fun based on her personal experiences, why even need me!? Just breed them yourself, you crazy bitch! I was too shocked and honestly too afraid to say that part aloud, not that it would've even mattered. She showed me that I didn't have a choice, and instructed her Khajiit slave to fetch some gear. While I was still stunned and immobilized, he helped me to my knees and locked me in a pair of slave's bracers, similar to the ones he had on him, and tied my hands with a sturdy rope. As Therana cast a spell to dispel the paralyzation, I tried to remind her that I didn't want to be a slave and that this wasn't what I came here for, but she still wasn't having it. She just gave me an "Aww" in response - which sounded really fake, might I add - and then giggled playfully.

"Therana asked Felisa to send her a young slave as a test subject, and you're the one she sent", she said and licked her lips through her wicked smile. She then locked a slave's collar on my neck and continued: "And since Therana needs you to be a test subject for her experiment… a slave is what you must be…"

Therana shooed the Khajiit away and took hold of a little chain on my collar, instructing me to walk. I decided to obey without making a fuss, mostly out of fear toward what else she could've done to me. Seriously, appearances aside, she's one of the greatest and the most powerful wizards in all of Tamriel, and could've cooked me alive with a mere snap of her fingers! I didn't want to make her angry, and I guess that somewhere in the back of my head, I was also hoping I was just overstating the seriousness of this situation. Like, she seemed pretty playful in a childish way, so maybe she was just kidding about making me a slave? Or just playing around? At least, that's what I was trying to rationalize at the time. I was still scared, all things considered.

As we walked, she explained what this crazy experiment relates to. Supposedly, she's been studying Kwama for a long time, as these curious, massive insects fascinate her greatly. They begin their lives as ants, then take the form of giant larvae, and then, depending on the circumstances, they can evolve and grow up to be very different creatures from how they started. They can be peaceful workers on four legs, warriors standing on two, and some can even grow tentacles! Then there are the queens whose sole purpose is breeding and reproduction. She's also a proud owner of a Kwama mine, although eating eggs is banned on this island. Why? I don't know, because she's crazy!?

Therana's studies are mainly focused on understanding the queens' biology and how Alteration magic can be used to guide the growth and "alter" the forms of both juvenile and adolescent Kwama. Whether you call it "guided evolution", "selective breeding", or whatever else, she has supposedly cracked the code. "Therana has even been able to bio-engineer a special Kwama-breed of her own", she said in an ominous tone while eyeing me down. I knew instantly that was a foreshadowing of what was about to come, but I remained quiet regardless.

Instead of being brought to the actual Kwama mine - which is located on a small island just outside the village - she brought me to the dungeon underneath the tower of Tel Branora, which is her "playroom" and her testing ground for magical experiments. After a long walk through these dark corridors, she placed her hands on my shoulders and guided me slowly toward a dark cell. I could not make sense of what was inside, but I could hear something slimy crawling about in the darkness. I was getting more scared and anxious by the second, wondering out loud if this would even be safe.

"Oh, don't worry", she said. "It won't hurt at all! Probably." She said I'd be her fourth ever "Kwama Princess", and the first child ever to be one, so I guess that's where the "Probably" part came into play. Regardless, she forcefully pushed me forward and closed the door of the pod, locking me in.

So, there I was, half-naked and powerless, with all my magicka stripped away by these oppressive shackles, unable to do anything but watch as the monster approached me. It wasn't like any of the other Kwama I'd ever seen before. It was clearly some kind of horse-sized, worm-like creature, with tentacles emerging from many parts of its body like it was some kind of strange insectoid-octopus hybrid. Therana explained it was a special kind of Kwama Queen, one that does not store its eggs inside its own body. Instead, it uses an ovipositor to lay its eggs into other hosts.

My intuition told me to escape and defend myself, but there was no escape from the monster's clutches. Its tentacle-like limbs latched onto my ankles, and I fell to the ground mid-run. With my feet suspended in the air, I tried to kick myself free, but getting back to my feet was impossible. Its head was squirming towards me, and the tentacles aimed for my panties, quickly exposing my quim.

I could no longer cling to the hope of this being just a prank or a huge misunderstanding; I was seriously gonna get raped by a damn insect, a mutant with slimy tentacles and everything. In one final moment of defiance and protest, I called out to Therana, asking is this seriously happening?

In response, she just cackled like a maniac and said: "Yeah, but don't worry! Therana will make sure you'll come out safe and sound. Eventually."

I didn't like the sound of that "eventually", but there was nothing I could do, with the monster already licking my privates. Its massive, toothless jaw clasped around my hip, locking itself in place, with its soft and slimy but warm membrane hugging against my skin. I tried to punch and push it away, but it felt almost as if I was hitting a cushion, incapable of doing any damage. Its tendril-like tongues ran across my vulva and everything in between, even my taint and anus, and the monster even took this opportunity to rob me of my bra.

I had a hard time holding my voice in, so I just held my hand on top of my mouth in disbelief as I stared down. I couldn't even see what was happening due to my entire hip being submerged in its mouth, but I could feel it spreading my lips apart, trying to push in. When those tiny tendrils began pushing deeper, I just lost it. Those tendrils were coming inside me while stimulating my clitoris continuously. I tried to sway my hips from left to right, up and down, but I could not fight against the continuous, relentless assault. Like, it was all over me, and it felt so surreal and unnatural, but strangely, my fear was turning into curiosity. I mean, I couldn't deny that those tendrils were making me feel amazing, even though it was a little disgusting and creepy at the same time. Battling with my emotions, and quickly switching between wanting to scream from terror and wanting to let it do its thing, I just closed my eyes and tried to not rationalize what kind of monster I was about to have sex with.

This bizarre tentacle worm attacked me with its tentacles once more, and it took my body, raising me to the air with my back turned towards it and my face towards Therana, who was watching the events unfold with a curious smile on her face. Holding me close to it with its limbs, it dropped my hip on top of its pulsating reproductive organ. I was in no position to resist, so I just had to take it and allow it into me. It began fucking me, pounding into me, while I was helpless to move my arms or my legs. I could feel my muscles responding to my brain, but no amount of power was going to free me from being raped. It was so damn strong and violent with its thrusts. Never had I ever even thought that I could be dominated like that.

Slimy, limp tentacles ran across my body, tickling my waist, touching my limbs, caressing my breasts, teasing my clit and nipples, and even pushing into my butt. Each thrust felt more powerful than the last, and I could feel it growing inside my pussy. It's like it was opening up or something. I didn't know too much about insect anatomy at the time, but I knew since Therana said it was a mutated Queen, it was really gonna lay some eggs now. All of that fucking and thrusting had been just a show to soften and excite me to be able to receive its gift of life.

Its ovipositor stood still while slowly, one by one, eggs were inserted into my womb, each one being the size of a chicken egg. Kwama eggs, of course, grow up to be much bigger, being able to weigh as much as two pounds, but that was the form they started in when I received them. I'm not even sure what to make of the feeling. It felt good to have them inserted into me, but not that intense. My waist could only accept so many while retaining its flat form, but it didn't stop it from injecting me with more of its unhatched babies. It was simultaneously interesting and terrifying to watch my belly grow visibly larger and heavier as it filled up, as I got to see first-hand what I look like while pregnant. And it happened so fast too.

This was Therana's biggest test: she wanted to see how much a child would be able to hold. Of course, an adult would be more effective at this, which she admitted herself, so I'm still unsure what the purpose of this experiment really is. Maybe she takes pleasure in watching girls get dominated, or could she perhaps be testing this on a girl as small as me to see if she could be able to handle it herself? A crazy theory, but given everything I've come to learn about her in this short time… perhaps not so far-fetched.

The monster let me go immediately, and I was left lying on my side, holding my stomach. I felt heavy and seriously groggy, and I could only get on my knees. No amount of trying was gonna help me get on my feet on my own. That's when the door opened. Therana approached me to save me from that monster, and she congratulated me on being such a brave and good girl. Hugging me from behind, she rubbed my inflated belly, and assured me that pushing the eggs out would not hurt at all. "A Kwama Princess does not experience pain during childbirth", she whispered. "All you will experience is pleasure…"

After that, I finally got to rest. I'm still naked, still in oppressive chains, and still a slave. She even marked my shoulder with her insignia to assert ownership over me, although I think this tattoo isn't permanent. I hope it isn't, at least? Surely a real tattoo would've hurt more to receive? This felt more like some kind of sticky paper being put on me. Still, it's very much a part of my shoulder now, and I can't wash it off.

So, this is what Felisa meant when she said I'll need a strong heart. Never did I ever think I would be tricked into being turned into a damn slave…

Still, at the same time, Therana has provided me with nice quarters inside the dungeon. Like, this is a really lovely room. Sure, the door is locked, and no stairs lead up from here either, meaning I'd have to levitate anyway, but I've got a bed, a table, a bath, and some books too. There's also one of those Dwemer puzzle boxes on the shelf. Should I try to solve it? I could spend some time on it once I get bored. All my gear, my money, and other stuff and tools are here too, down to every last Septim and a piece of alchemical ingredient.

Now, all that's left is for me to wait for tomorrow. Therana says I'll be performing more experiments for her, and I'm not sure if I like the sound of that. Makes me wonder, when will she let me go? I wager this is just temporary…

At least, I hope that is the case…

Frostfall, 15th, 3E 427

Yesterday, Therana showed me that eggs were merely the beginning.

As it was going to take a while for the eggs inside me to grow bigger, and since she didn't want me to just sit idly by, she introduced me to another one of her test chambers, filled to the brim with little Kwama forager larvae and slightly larger Kwama workers. Since cross-species breeding is something she finds greatly exciting and hot, this chamber was also meant for that purpose.

While I stared at the task at hand from a safe distance, Therana went on to ramble about eventually being able to use a sentient mortal's womb to cultivate Kwama eggs directly, but she still isn't sure which way to go about this crazy plan. Like, should the biology of us mortals be altered so our eggs could be fertilized by Kwama semen, or should the Kwama themselves be altered so that their semen would be compatible with us? What would it take to reach said goals, would one route be easier to achieve, and would the result even be the same kind of regular Kwama egg she likes so much? Yeah, in case you haven't been able to tell, she LOVES Kwama eggs, but as I wrote in my previous entry, not as food. Never. Eating them is barbaric, according to her. She especially believes that the eggs that are the product of her experiment should never be brought to the dinner table. She doesn't seem like the kind of girl who's concerned about ethics, so I'm not sure what her reason is. Does she think it's unsexy or something? If so, I must say I agree with the sentiment. In fact, I'm not sure if I can ever look at Kwama eggs the same again, much less eat one.

Regardless, she made it quite clear that she would not try to alter my genes or reproductive organs, so I shouldn't worry about it. It could damage my market value as a slave or something. Well, that's reassuring to know…

Still, didn't help me from getting raped.

As Therana pushed me into the cell, locked the door, and ordered me to lay down for the Kwama, all I could think of was if these oversized bugs would even consider me a potential mating partner. Apparently, that wasn't going to be a problem because of the pheromones that lingered in my body, both inside and out. Being injected with the queen's eggs, the Kwama mistakenly thought I was a female of their species, making them want to copulate with me according to their primitive beastly urges, as became very apparent to me before I could even properly present myself for the giant insects.

The Kwama were all over me, with the giant larvae getting to me first, climbing up my legs, forcing me to drop to my knees. Then, all the giant worms and fully-grown armored Kwama workers surrounded me on all sides, and violated me with their tentacles and penises. They weren't anywhere near as powerful as that mutated queen was yesterday, but their sheer numbers made any resistance impossible. Besides, since there were much more of them, it also took a lot longer. They raped my pussy and my ass simultaneously for hours, filling me with copious amounts of semen. I was absolutely bursting at the seams with cum, covered by it inside out. I swear, I was in a trance. It was bizarre, it was disgusting, but it also felt so stimulating. Above everything else, it was tiring, and I must've passed out at some point.

When I finally woke up, I had been washed and brought back to work and found myself in the cell with the mutated queen again. It wasn't approaching me yet, though, and my belly was aching. It had grown massive, and it felt like something was moving inside it.

I instinctively sat up on my knees with my legs spread open, and I couldn't help but touch myself with both my hands. I initially didn't even have the wherewithal to understand what was happening, but as I played with my clit with my left hand and pushed my right middle finger into my cunny, I felt like I could come at any moment. My hip muscles were trying to forcefully push these invaders out of my womb, and I could already feel one of them slowly moving outward as the pleasure radiated from deep inside my body.

I actually laid an egg, and it made my entire body tremble with pleasure. The second and third followed not too far behind, and they forced me to climax. I may have been moaning and smiling - and admittedly, rubbing my clit out too - but I was also crying. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I had been violated in such an obscene manner, and I was feeling pleasure from it all! Such incredible pleasure! Just like Therana had promised me, there was no pain in childbirth for a "Kwama Princess"!

Then, the mutated queen grabbed me. I hadn't even gotten rid of all the eggs inside my womb when its tentacles coiled around my shaking and shivering body. I verbally begged for it to stop, begging for it to please wait, but my desperate plea soon turned into cries and moans of pleasure when that ovipositor was stuck deep into my cunny once again. It pounded me with it from behind, bringing me to an immediate squirting orgasm. The smile, the tears, my wails… I must've been such a pathetic sight to see…

After forcing the next set of eggs into me, the queen retreated and made way for a tall, mutated Kwama warrior. Standing on its two tiny feet, it grabbed into my waist and my hands with its tentacles and hands, and it forced its massive cock into my pussy. It was just one assault after another, one extreme sensation followed by an even more extreme play. This alpha male thrust forward with reckless abandon while I faced my mistress sitting on a chair on the other side of the bars. She was naked, blushing, smiling, and playing with that little wet cunny of hers, masturbating at the sight of me, sticking the fingers knuckle-deep into her grey pussy, and was absolutely beaming watching me get raped. Suffering or pleasure, I wasn't even sure what I was feeling, but she certainly was having a blast at my expense.

That giant male came inside me a total of five times before being satisfied, and my body yielded to his will thrice as many times. He left me alone, with me lying motionless on the ground, and Therana walked up to me, squatting down in front of me, urging me to look her in the eyes. My tired eyes then met her psychotic smile and her unblinking, bright-red devilish eyes.

"How is your new life as a seedbed treating you, princess?" she asked me. "Isn't it fun? Are you enjoying yourself? Please, feel free to be honest with Therana, and be honest with yourself too…"

If this little cunt enjoys this so much, why doesn't she just become a seedbed herself!? I would love to watch her whore herself out to these insects in my stead! This isn't what I fucking had in my mind when I came to this island…

I was then brought back to my room, where I fell asleep instantly after cleaning myself. Today she came to see how I was feeling and told me to enjoy my day and socialize with other slaves. She'd have work for me later. In return, I asked her, when am I getting out? She surprised me by saying I was free to leave anytime I wanted, as I had more or less already proven her experiment to be a roaring success. All I could think of was, "Is she bullshitting me!?"

Thinking that was my opportunity to finally get out, I kindly asked her to remove the shackles so I could be on my way then, but she just giggled and sternly refused.

"Wearing the bracers counts as consent for being Therana's slave", she explained. "Those are the rules. If you wanna leave, remove them yourself."

Well, shit…

As she suggested, I took the opportunity to socialize with others. I asked them for advice on how to leave this place, and they all just said the same thing: they don't know. Some have escaped this place before, but none who remain can give me any advice. "If I knew, I wouldn't be here anymore", was the standard answer to my query. One speculated that this was probably a riddle or a test by Therana to see how smart we really are. She is, after all, a girl who enjoys childish little games and even bets. She may be a crazy, perverted slaver, but that doesn't mean she's entirely unfair. "Beat her at her own game, and she might even come to respect you for it", the slave explained.

One thing I noticed during my day here is that I'm not the only one with a puzzle box in her room. Could there maybe be a key hidden inside? I'm almost certain there's no key hidden anywhere else, so who knows? I have some free time here as well, so I'll have time to search for an answer.

For now, I think I'll have to just stay obedient. Not much else I can do. I suppose I could resist, but it's pointless. Therana is one of the greatest mages alive and capable of submitting me to her will at the snap of a finger, and those Kwama servants of hers are too strong for me to fight off as well. I hope I'll make it out soon. No, scratch that. One way or another, I'll make it out of here.

Frostfall, 21st, 3E 427

Holy smokes, the key actually WAS inside the puzzle box! Took my pea-brains four days - yes, DAYS! - to figure out how that Dwemer contraption worked, but by Syrabane's guidance, I made it out!

I gathered my stuff, regained some of my strength, and escaped the dungeon the first chance I got. I waltzed out of Tel Branora unceremoniously, without telling anyone, and got to the harbor as soon as possible. As my luck would have it, the boat by the name Elf-Skerring was arriving soon on its way to Sadrith Mora, so I could hop on board for a cheap fee of twenty gold Septims, with a considerable membership discount for me being Telvanni Retainer. The shipmaster at the docks was kind of surprised to see a pregnant ten-year-old Altmer, but she didn't ask any questions. She just shed a single tear and said that she was sorry, saying that the world sure can be a cruel place.

I also got rid of the eggs on the trip, luckily in the peace of my own cabin and without stress. I'm now finally free from their burden, and my waist is slim once more. Good grief, I could NOT get used to the sight of having a pregnant belly…

Then, when morning rolled around, I woke up to the knock on my door, with a particularly rude deckhand telling me to bugger off so he could clean the cabin, as the ship was leaving for Castle Ebonheart soon. Luckily, I managed to clean most of my mess, and I was able to get decent sleep too, so I could leave relatively quickly.

Felisa was surprised to see me, but she did not look at all upset. In fact, she said she was relieved to see me. She applauded me for a job well done and apologized for what had happened. "Therana instructed me to conceal the truth about what she needed you for. I should've told you the truth, and I'm really sorry I didn't, but at the same time, I was sure you'd make it. I'm glad I was correct."

She also pleaded for me to please not be angry at her mistress. "She may have a warped perception of fun, but at the end of the day, that's all it is for her. She's not malicious and is just trying to have fun." I'm unsure if I can bring myself to agree with that statement, but at the end of the day, I suppose I just have to let it go. It's not like I could ever hope to get revenge against that little psychopath even if I tried to, so there is no point in even trying. I'm just happy to be out of that mess, and happy to finally be able to move forward holding my head high.

On that note, Felisa paid me with a grand total of two thousand drakes to my pockets and said that I'd more than earned a promotion as well. She, along with the rest of the Mouths, are more than happy to give me proper work instead of forcing me to run mundane errands around Sadrith Mora.

There are many high-paying jobs available, but since most of them are time-consuming and dangerous, and I'm looking to visit Balmora, I could only take on one. Mallam, the Mouth for the Archmagister himself, asked if I could travel to Gnisis to interview a Telvanni researcher who lives there in seclusion. The questions I'm supposed to ask him relate to Dwemer. Apparently, it doesn't even matter what his answers will be, as Mallam just wants me to "try" interviewing him. Weird request, but it should be easy enough! That also reminds me, the Archmage of the Mages Guild also was interested in the subject. It might be cool to actually get answers from an expert!

As for now… I'm so happy to return to Balmora. I've been away from my friends for three weeks now! I hope they're not too worried or anything. Caius probably has some work for me now. I hope he's not mad at me for being gone for so long.

PS, I'll keep to my promise of never ever eating another Kwama egg again.

• 9th Journal - Twin Lamps (By Karim / Kanna)