A Place to Belong

The bumps in the dirt road were transmitted directly into Fiona's prone body as she lay on her side in the cart. With her hands and feet bound, she could only lie there, unable to even look at the scenery as the horses pulled the cart up the winding mountain road. It was only yesterday that Fiona celebrated her eighteenth birthday. Everyone in the village gave her a present, happy smiles on their lined and weather-beaten faces. It was a rare moment of joy, as the recent poor harvests and dusty, parched fields were the cause of seemingly never-ending hardship in the last few years. They even used what little sugar they had to bake her a small cake. At the time, Fiona thought the tears wetting the cheeks of her well-wishers were ones of happiness, of seeing the rare child blossom into an adult instead of passing away early from disease or hunger. But when she fell asleep that night with a full belly and felt rough hands bind her hands and feet and lift her out of bed in the darkness, she realized that their tears were born from the sadness of saying goodbye.

"It's for the good of the village," the elderly mayor said, from where he sat in the cart at Fiona's side. "I hope you understand." He nodded sagely, his wrinkled head bobbing along with the movements of the cart, but she wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

Fear gripped Fiona's throat, nearly robbing her of the ability to speak. There was only one destination at the end of this winding mountain path, and it meant that she would never see her friends and family again.

"M-Maybe the harvest will be better this year!" Fiona said, her throat as dry as the village wells. "Hopefully the rain will finally fall! You don't have to do this!"

The mayor shook his head. "If only we could rely on hope to fill our bellies. No, child, we must take action to secure our future." He said, rubbing the grey hairs dotting his chin. "It has been far too long since we sent someone to live with the witch, and I fear she has grown upset with us. Even though you were born under such an ill omen, it is quite fortunate that you have come of age now, my child. I'm sure the witch will be quite pleased to have such a fine guest as yourself." He reached out a gnarled hand and stroked Fiona's straw-blonde hair. As a child, Fiona had heard the whispered stories about an ageless witch that lived in the castle upon the mountain. Young women would be sent to be sacrificed to her, never to see the village again, and if the witch was pleased with her offering, she would bless the village with bountiful harvests and bottomless wells. As Fiona grew older, she dismissed the tail as an invention to keep young girls in line, lest they get sent away to be devoured by the evil witch. But as the harvests grew worse with every year, the looks of desperation on the faces of the village elders grew more intense.

"Father, please stop this!" Fiona said. But her father, seated as far away from her as possible, remained motionless, his head turned away as he watched the sun rise over the distant mountain peaks. His broad shoulders and strong arms offered her no comfort now.

She could feel the horses' cadence slow, then stop. "Mayor, we've arrived," the driver said.

"Good, good," the mayor said, nodding his head. "Well, child, this is goodbye. We will think of you with every harvest."

The men around her stood up and bundled Fiona into their arms. "No, please! I don't want this!" she begged, but the men paid her no heed as they carried her to the castle's heavy wooden door. Loose stones and rubble littered the ground in front of the hulking edifice, and Fiona couldn't imagine that anyone could live in such a ruin. She wondered if she would starve to death before the wild animals found her. The door screeched on rusty hinges like a wounded animal as one of the men threw it open, and she was ushered into the darkness of the castle and roughly placed on the cold stone floor. From the rectangle of weak sunlight filtering in through the open door, she could barely make out a stone stairway that led up and into the darkness.

One of the men stepped forward and called out into the darkness. "Lady witch, we've brought you a guest! We hope you will enjoy her company, and see fit to bless us with a good harvest!" His voice had barely stopped echoing off the stone walls before the men ran out of the castle like children caught trespassing in the bakery after sundown. They closed the door with a loud bang, leaving Fiona alone in the claustrophobic darkness. Not a single sound of life reached her ears from the depths of the castle. Fiona had been told that she had been born during a lunar eclipse, and that the circular birthmark on her stomach was a symbol of the curse that the red moon burned into her soul that night. Her mother had passed away shortly after giving birth to her, and the village elders said that the blood moon took her soul. The villagers had always viewed Fiona with suspicion, but kept their whispers to the shadows. Otherwise, Fiona had a normal childhood, playing with her friends and helping out in the fields. The cold stone floor began to leech away her body heat. Alone and abandoned, her blue eyes began to weep, tears leaving tracks down her dusty face. The curse she had the misfortune to be born under seemed to have come back to claim her soul. She cried until she became too weak to even utter a sound, then she laid her head down and hoped her death would be painless.

After an indeterminable amount of time passed, Fiona could hear the sound of movement deep within the castle. The clack of footsteps on stone grew louder, and she had to squint when the torches mounted on the walls roared to life on their own accord, throwing light, warmth, and dancing shadows across the stone. Bound as she was, Fiona couldn't even lift her head as the footsteps descended the staircase. Her first glimpse of the castle's resident came when a pair of pale feet clad in resplendent red heels came into her view.

"Oh my, they even gift-wrapped my present this time," came a woman's pleasant voice. "Here, let's get these off of you." Gentle hands undid the cloth tied around Fiona's ankles and wrists and helped her up. The stone floor was cold against her bare feet, and her joints throbbed from being bound for so long. Still, in the light cast by the flickering torches, Fiona was able to get a good look at the so-called witch. She hardly looked a day older than Fiona herself, with long, silky black hair, red eyes, and too-pale skin, wearing a red dress made of luxurious silk that came down to her ankles. The only hint of the witch's inhumanity came from a pair of pointed ears that peeked out from under the raven-black hair.

"U-Um," Fiona stammered. "Are you going to eat me...?"

"Eat you...?" the witch said, as if she didn't understand the question. Then she laughed uproariously, throwing back her head until she began to cough violently.

"Er, are you alright?" Fiona said, gingerly reaching out and rubbing the witch's slender back.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," the witch said, then cleared her throat. "Is that what the villagers are saying about me? How rude!" The witch pouted her ruby lips.

"So, you're not going to eat me?"

"Heavens no, I'm not some kind of monster." The witch looked mildly offended.

"Then, can I go home?" Fiona asked, hope beginning to dwell within her heart.

"Hmm, well, since you came all the way here, why don't you join me for dinner? The sun has nearly set, and I imagine that you're famished, yes?"

Fiona's stomach growled, answering the question before she could speak.

The witch clapped her hands. "Then it's settled! My, it's been so long since I've had a guest. I should welcome you to my humble home. My name's Anastasia, but you can call me Ana." She bowed gracefully, her long hair spilling over her shoulders.

"I'm Fiona. It's very nice to meet you." Fiona grasped the hem of her nightgown and gave her best curtsy.

Ana chuckled warmly. "Oh my, such good manners! But we should get you into something more comfortable. Come, let me show you to your room." Ana spun on her heel and began to ascend the stairs. Fiona followed behind, her initial trepidation tempered by the kindness and warmth shown by the witch. Perhaps, Fiona thought, she won't be roasted alive and eaten like a ham after all.

At the top of the staircase, they turned and followed a hallway deeper into the castle. Torches sputtered into life as they walked, illuminating the way. Ana stopped in front of a wooden door and opened it, gesturing to the interior. Plush carpeting greeted Fiona's feet as she stepped inside, and her eyes never saw such luxurious furniture. Rich tapestries hung from the walls, and the furniture was all made of the finest dark wood. A blue dress was laid upon a large, plush bed, with a matching pair of slippers on the floor. It looked like a room made for a princess. Fiona had only ever heard of such exquisite furnishings from merchants that had visited the kingdom's capital before passing through her sleepy village.

"There's a warm bath drawn in the next room," Ana said. "I'll come get you when it's time for dinner. Be sure to wear that dress!"

Fiona blushed. "Oh, Ana, I couldn't. Such a beautiful dress would be wasted on a poor village girl like myself."

Ana smiled, her lips forming a crooked shape as if her facial muscles had rusted shut from disuse. "Nonsense," she said. "I'm sure it will look great on you."

Nodding, Fiona acquiesced. She didn't want to upset her host, and besides, she never got the chance to wear such beautiful clothing before. Perhaps if she humored Ana, Fiona would be allowed to go back home. Ana told her to rest, then left the room, closing the door behind her. Fiona noted that the door lacked a lock, but she didn't want to be rude by trying to escape. Walking into the side room, she discovered an ornate iron tub, filled with clear water at a perfect temperature. The small bathing room was comfortably lit with flickering candles. She took off her dirty nightgown and lowered herself into the tub. A soft, gentle aroma reached her nostrils from the scented water. Baths were a luxury in her village, so she quite enjoyed being able to wash herself thoroughly. She rubbed her fingers over the circular birthmark surrounding her navel, a reminder of the curse she supposedly carried. As much as she would love to spend hours soaking in the tub, she didn't want to keep Ana waiting while she got dressed, so she begrudgingly got out of the tub and dried herself off with a towel so soft it seemed to have been woven by the gods themselves.

To her delight, the beautiful blue dress fit Fiona perfectly. The rough garments she wore while working in the fields never showed off her budding curves like this. She laid down on the bed and sighed. Perhaps living here wouldn't be so bad after all. She didn't realize that she had nodded off until she heard a knock at the door, rousing her from a light sleep. Her feet fit perfectly into the slippers next to the bed. When she opened the door, instead of finding Ana like she expected, she was instead greeted by a slouching figure in a green robe, whose hood was pulled down low enough to cover its face.

"Um, hello..." Fiona said. She had never seen anything like this before in her life, but she didn't sense any hostility. The robed figure gestured with an arm entirely covered by its sleeve, then turned and began to shamble down the hall. Fiona assumed that the figure wished for her to follow it, so she fell into step as it led the way down carpeted hallways. It seemed to make a labored breathing sound as it walked, its body bouncing side to side ever so slightly. They eventually entered a large, brightly lit dining room, where several other robed figures were setting plates of food upon a long table. Ana stopped one of the figures, took a sip of a bowl of soup on the plate it carried, then nodded approvingly. She smiled when she looked over and made eye contact with Fiona.

"Hello there. I see you've met one of my familiars," Ana said, gesturing towards one of the robed figures. "Don't worry, they're completely harmless. I apologize that I didn't come and fetch you in person; I wanted to make sure everything was perfect for our dinner. I haven't had a guest in so long, you see." Ana smiled, white teeth resting against her lower lip.

"Oh no, it's not a problem," Fiona said. She stood still, unsure of what to do. A familiar pulled out a chair and waited behind it. Fiona took that as her cue to sit down. She even remembered to tuck her dress under her thighs before sitting down, something that her mother once taught her before passing away when Fiona was young. After her chair was pushed in, another familiar poured her a glass of wine in a crystal cup. She doubted even the royal family ate so well. A plate with a fat, juicy steak was placed in front of her, bigger than anything the village butcher could obtain from their skinny cows. Fiona licked the inside of her mouth. Even the smell of the food was making her hungry. Not wanting to be rude, she looked over at Ana to see if her host wanted to say a prayer to the harvest goddess before eating, but she was already noisily scarfing down plates of food. Fiona shrugged, then picked up the silver fork and knife and began to eat. Flavors exploded in her mouth, exquisite tastes that she never once experienced before. Spices and sauces from unknown regions dazzled her palate. Even the vegetables were roasted to perfection. The wine tingled her lips and burned her throat, but gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest, and made her face grow hot. She hasn't eaten so well in her entire life, and finally her belly was full.

"Thanks for the meal!" Fiona said. She wiped her mouth in a napkin, then blew her nose.

"Think nothing of it," Ana said, daintily dabbing at the corners of her mouth with a cloth. "The familiars did all the hard work." Fiona felt a pang of guilt, wondering if any of the food she just ate was grown in her village. The familiars began to clear the table, piling the plates and dishes into carts and wheeling them away. Ana leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, appearing to doze off for a moment before she slapped her hands on the table. "That's right, I wanted to show you something," she said, pushing herself away from the table and standing up. Curious, Fiona stood up and began to follow behind Ana. They walked through a stone arch, leading to an expansive balcony. Ana approached the balcony and gestured for Fiona to join her. Fiona stepped across the smooth stone floor and placed her hands upon the wooden railing. The view that greeted her took her breath away. She could see the entirety of the valley in which her village resided, including the fields they tilled with such care. However, from this vantage point, Fiona saw how dirty and cracked the earth was, and how stunted and wilted their crops looked. Even the fruit trees barely had any leaves, despite being in the middle of summer. It broke her heart to see her village's struggles writ large on the landscape.

"It would seem that another harsh year is in store for your village," Ana said mournfully.

"Indeed. Everyone has suffered so much,' Fiona said. "I only wish there was something I could do."

Ana turned to face Fiona, a smile on her lips. "It warms my heart to hear you say that, young one. If I said there was indeed something you could do to help, what would you say?"

"Of course, I would do anything to help my village!" Fiona said brightly, but then her expression quickly darkened when she remembered all the rumors about sacrifices being made to the witch at her side. Ana laughed, apparently in response to Fiona's furrowed brow.

"No need for such a dark expression, my sweet!" Ana said. "I am aware of the rumors about me, gruesome as they are. Let me be the first one to tell you that they have no merit. There is a way to help your village, and it doesn't involve you losing your life. I believe humans have a phrase that goes, actions speak louder than words, yes? Let me show you something, and then you can decide for yourself what you want to do. Come."

Ana turned on a heel and beckoned Fiona with a curled finger. Fiona followed behind, hope swelling in her chest. They walked through the castle in silence, until they came to a bedroom so ornate that it made Fiona's guest room look as drab as her room back at home. Ornate tapestries and lifelike oil paintings hung from the wall. Ana walked over to a bed enough to comfortably fit a small family and patted the space beside her. Fiona sat down on the plush bed, so close to Ana that their hips touched.

"What do I need to do?" Fiona said, steeling her resolve in the pit of her stomach.

"Just close your eyes and relax," Ana said softly. She reached out and placed her palm against Fiona's forehead, long fingers intertwined with Fiona's blonde hair. Fiona did as she was told and closed her eyes. She felt a warm, tingling sensation flow from Ana's hand, spreading throughout her body. It was as if she was in a sleepless dream, as she felt like she was floating in mid-air, untethered from reality. Before today, she had believed that magic was something only spoken of in old legends, but now she was experiencing it for the first time. When she opened her eyes, she thought she was teleported to a fantasy world. The bed now stretched out to the very edges of her vision, looking as if it could easily hold her entire village with room to spare. However, in the center of the bed, towering over the landscape like a goddess, sat Ana, the bed gently curving around her weight. Fiona found herself suddenly plunged into darkness when Ana leaned over, blocking out the torch light. Looking up, Fiona found herself engulfed in Ana's shadow, as if the moon blocked out the sun. Ana seemed as powerful and intimidating as a goddess from the pantheon in the flesh. However, Fiona's worries were quickly put to rest when Ana giggled softly.

"Looks like my magic still works," Ana said, seemingly as surprised by what just happened as Fiona.

"Um... Ana, what just happened?" Fiona asked timidly. Nothing she ever experienced in her rural life, not even when she got lost in the woods as a little girl, could ever prepare her for this moment.

"It's just a harmless shrinking spell," Ana said, waving a hand dismissively. "But it's so hard to see you down there, when you're hardly the size of a mouse. Come, let me take a better look at you." Ana slowly lowered her hand to the surface of the bed, palm upwards. Fiona took her shoes off and gently stepped onto the tip of Ana's middle finger, then followed the long, pale digit to the smooth palm. She was small enough that she could see the stitchwork making up the frills on Ana's sleeve. The skin under Fiona's bare feet was warm and soft, and a pleasant smell filled Fiona's nose when she sat down at the center of Ana's palm. Curiously, Fiona traced a finger along a wrinkle running across the palm. Her eyes followed a blue vein, the color of which stood out against the ivory skin, as it ran like a steam under the flesh until it connected to the wrist and disappeared under the sleeve. Fiona's stomach lurched as she was lifted into the air, and she had an unpleasant flashback to the time this morning when she was roughly bundled out of bed and thrown into the back of the cart. However, this ride was much more gentle, as Fiona slowly rose over the plain of Ana's stomach and past the small hills of her breasts, then up the chalk-white cliff of her throat before coming to a stop in front of the ruby red lips. Ana's lips were curled into a curious smile, which put Fiona at ease.

"Um, are you going to keep me as a pet or something?" Fiona said.

Ana chuckled. "Hmm, that's a tempting thought, but I don't think it would be as fun for you as it would be for me. Do you recall how I said you could help your village? Well, that could happen if you live not just with me, but inside me," she said, her warm breath washed over Fiona in waves.

"Inside... you?" Fiona recalled the rumors about the witch eating her sacrifices.

"You see, my magic power is derived from the life force of those who live in the village, and I use that power to ensure that the soil is rich and the crops grow bountiful. Life begets life, you see. But the villagers came to see me as a monstrous presence, and stopped sending their young women to live with me. As a result, their farms grew barren, their soil parched. It pains me to see them suffer so, but my magic power is barely sufficient to summon those servants to keep me company. But you, my dear," Ana said, looking down at Fiona with twinkling eyes, "are full of life and vigor. Together, I'm sure we can help your village thrive again."

"What would you have me do?" Fiona said. She was willing to do almost anything to alleviate the suffering of her fellow villagers. Their treatment of her was born out of desperation, she reasoned, and hopefully, she could prevent any girls like herself from being torn away from their families.

Ana licked her lips, a sensual movement that sent a shiver down Fiona's spine. "Live inside me for a day, and I'll show you how much better your village will fare. After that, it's up to you. If you find the experience unpleasant, I won't force you to do it again. You can stay here with me and I'll make sure you want for nothing, although I can't say the same about your village."

Fiona stood up on wobbly legs. "I'm ready," she said, clenching her jaw. She wondered if Ana would teleport her inside of her, but her question was answered when Ana opened her lips slowly, a strand of saliva breaking into droplets and catching the light from the torches. Like a snake slithering out of a cave, Ana's tongue slowly emerged until the tip touched the palm of her hand, directly in front of Fiona's bare feet. Fiona took a step forward onto the wet, quivering muscle. She got on her hands and knees, crawling up the gentle slope. After a few steps, the tip of the tongue curled up against the soles of Fiona's feet, and the tongue slowly retracted into the mouth, along with its passenger. Fiona had to duck her head to avoid the brilliant white teeth at the front of the mouth. The tongue came to rest, and light filtered in through Ana's parted lips, illuminating the perfect teeth and pink gums. Looking behind her, she could see a dangling uvula pointing the way down to Ana's depths. Wet, sticky saliva began to drip down from the roof of the mouth soaking Fiona's clothing. The heat and humidity increased when Ana closed her lips, plunging Fiona into darkness for a brief moment before a ball of magical light appeared, allowing her to see the organic cave. Fiona reached out with a curious hand and stroked the bumpy taste buds lining the spongy tongue. The tongue gently trembled in response. She wondered if Ana could taste her, and if so, if it was pleasant. On her hands and knees, she then crawled over to the gum line and ran her hands across the smooth surface of a tooth. The wet, flawless surface felt like a huge, polished gemstone. A deep, feminine giggle bubbled up from the throat. It seemed like Ana quite enjoyed having her tiny guest explore her mouth.

Fiona giggled herself, then flopped onto her back and rolled across the tongue, which then curled up, moving her closer to the dark throat. After a brief moment, Ana's uvula rose, then a strong suction pulled Fiona into a tight, wet tube. Smooth muscles lining the walls embraced her and slowed her descent. As she moved further down the vertical passage, she could hear the drumbeat of Ana's heart, as well as the bellows of her lungs. Her feet pressed against a tight ring, which opened up in greeting, and she slid into a larger chamber. The magical light illuminated the chewed-up remains of the dinner they had just eaten together, bubbling and breaking apart like icebergs on the open ocean. Gentle, muscular movements rippled through the ribbed walls of Ana's stomach, massaging Fiona's body as she reclined against the warm wall. A pool of liquid covered the floor and went up to Fiona's shoulders, reminding her of the bath she took not so long ago. To her surprise, the smell was not unpleasant, and Fiona found herself growing drowsy from the combination of the cloying heat and the pleasant gurgling sounds emanating from deep within Ana's body. A gentle tingling sensation crawled all over Fiona's body, like tiny fingers rubbing her skin. She assumed it was the feeling of her own energy being transferred into Ana's magical powers. Sighing contentedly, Fiona closed her eyes. Sleep came to her quickly, and through her dreams she had the distant sensation of being caressed, as if by a loved one. It was a level of happiness that she never felt in her village.

When light next hit her eyes, Fiona stretched her arms out and yawned. She felt as if she had slept for a week straight. Looking around, she saw that she was still tiny, and being cradled in the palm of Ana's hand.

"Good morning, young one," Ana said. From the light streaming in through the window over Ana's shoulder, Fiona surmised that she had slept her way through her journey back out of Ana's body.

"Good morning, Ana," Fiona said. "I've never slept so well in my life. Did you get the magical energy you needed?"

Ana smiled. "First things first. Let's get you bathed, then I'll show you the fruits of your efforts." She lowered Fiona into a small stone cup filled with warm water. Fiona took off her damp dress and splashed the water over her body, washing off Ana's fluids. When she finished rinsing off her hair, Ana handed her a tiny towel and a fresh, clean dress that was just her size. When she was dressed, Ana placed Fiona onto her shoulder and walked out onto the balcony once more. Holding onto the silky black strands of hair, Fiona looked out over her village, now illuminated by the golden glow of the rising sun. To her delight, she saw that the crops had tripled in size overnight, their bright green leaves turned to catch the rays of the sun. Even the branches of the fruit trees hung low with perfectly ripe apples and pears. She could see the villagers moving among the field, gesturing wildly. They would certainly have full bellies for quite some time.

"Ana, did you do all this in just one night?" Fiona said. "That's amazing!"

"It wasn't just my doing, Fiona. Your energy gave me the strength to help the village," Ana said.

"How long will this last, before the fields grow fallow once more?"

Ana tapped her chin in thought. "Hmm, considering the magical power you've given me... I'd say it will be about a week before the leaves begin to wilt once more."

"Then, can I offer myself to you again, so that the village never goes hungry again?" Fiona said. Truth be told, she found the prospect quite exciting. The experience was like nothing she ever imagined during her life in the village, and Ana was a kind and gentle hostess. Indeed, Fiona felt like she finally had a real home.

Ana turned to face Fiona and smiled. Fiona found herself enraptured by those beautiful lips, and couldn't wait until she could slip between them once more. "Why, I was hoping you'd say that. Of course, my dear, I'll welcome you inside me with open arms." Ana chuckled. "Well, I guess it would be open lips. And, if it pleases you, my body can be your home even during the times when the village is doing well."

Overcome with happiness, Fiona ran over and hugged Ana's neck. Chuckling, Ana gently picked Fiona up and brought her to her lips, and they shared a passionate kiss. Thus began Fiona's happy life of living with, and inside of, a witch that blessed the village that raised her.