Indigo

by Pepper North

  “What medicine?” Indigo asked quickly as she sagged in relief when the large finger slid from her bottom. Before he could answer her, a large cold cylinder began to slide into her rectum. “No! No, Hagan. That hurts. Stop!” she demanded as the medicine stretched her tight ring of muscles to the point that she was sure he was tearing her.

  “Relax your bottom, Indigo. This first time is always the toughest. I will pay special attention to this entrance. I will make sure to stretch it gently so that this is not as uncomfortable.”

  “Uncomfortable?” she screeched. Suddenly the pressure eased, and the therapeutic dose slid easily into her bottom. Indigo melted onto the padded table in relief.

  Almost immediately, her blue eyes popped open to glare at him. “You are never doing that again!”

  Hagan simply gathered the soft diapering material between her legs and efficiently secured each side. Magically cleansing his hands, he held her body in place with a thick forearm to her tummy when she tried to roll off the table. “Drobin, I understand that this is new to you and that you are used to making your own decisions. You also need to understand that I have been waiting for you for over six hundred years. I will protect you with every bit of power in my control. You will have this medicine every day, whether you wish to have it put in your bottom or not. You have the choice-fight and lose or relent and cooperate. One will be futile, and the opposite will protect your existence and prevent a very unpleasant death.”

  His gray eyes held hers for several minutes as she tried to come up with an argument that might rid her of this treatment. Finally, the spark of anger in her blue eyes began to fade. “You swear that I could die without it?”

  “Yes. When you meet the droblins, talk to them. All will confirm that they also receive this protection from the magic that surrounds them. Marigold alone can share with you the effects of magic sickness. We are all fortunate that she survived,” Hagan said solemnly. He allowed her to hear the truth in his words and see his concern for her well-being.

  When she nodded her head, not really knowing what she agreed to, Hagan leaned down to kiss her lips softly. “I will do anything required to keep you healthy. I promise that the first time is the hardest.”

  “You promise?” she whispered.

  Hagan held one hand over his heart and nodded. When she nodded again, he lifted her to nestle against his body with her legs straddling the sides of his torso. “Thank you, blueness, for giving me the gift of your trust.” His heart jumped in his chest as she laid her head on his shoulder.

  The immense sorcerer wrapped her in his arms, hoping to shield her from any danger. His lips pressed softly against her hair as he gently swayed to comfort her.

  When she lifted her head, he knew that her anger and resistance had ebbed. Patting her back softly, Hagan gestured around the room. “Look at your new room.”

  She knew that he was trying to distract her, but her blue eyes widened as she looked around. It was a nursery but created for an adult-sized person. Her—she realized! Indigo wanted to be angry at his thought that she was a baby, but the room appeared as if it had sprung from her dreams.

  Painted light green, the walls were decorated with endearing cartoon animals. A trio of sheep jumped over the crib while a bevy of fireflies swarmed over the changing table. The latter seemed to glow slightly even in the well-lit room. Indigo knew they would provide light in the darkness at night. Over there, a kitty played with a ball of yarn while a puppy chased his tail. Her eyes dropped to see a chest brimming with all kinds of toys.

  “Stretch!” she cried, pointing to the stuffed giraffe that sat on top of the jumble in the toy chest. Hagan walked over and leaned over for her to grab the stuffie from the pile. Indigo looked at it in amazement.

  “Stretch was my favorite toy when I was a kid. I lost him when he fell out of the roller coaster that my brother convinced me to ride with him. The park employees wouldn’t go look for him. I didn’t talk to my brother for a solid week,” she told him, still indignant.

  That flash of annoyance disappeared instantly as she squeezed Stretch to her chest. Closing her eyes, Indigo knew he felt just like she remembered the toy feeling when she was a child. Dropping her chin, Indigo kissed the top of Stretch’s head.

  Realizing that he must have seen Stretch years ago and remembered how much she loved him, Indigo opened her eyes to look gratefully at the huge sorcerer. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Just having her childhood friend with her reassured Indigo. She laid her head against Hagan’s shoulder. Smiling as his arms squeezed gently around her, showing his approval of her closeness, Indigo decided to trust this man. Only someone that cared about her deeply would have bothered to recreate Stretch.

  “Let’s get that giraffe something to eat. He’s looking pretty skinny,” Hagan remarked.

  Indigo’s stomach growled hungrily. She quickly covered her abdomen, crinkling the diaper under her fingers. Tracing the flowered design on the front, she asked, “Am I always going to have to wear a diaper?”

  “Yes, droblin. It is the kindest way for me to care for you,” he answered before kissing her forehead tenderly.

  “I don’t like it,” she complained softly.

  “I know. It will get better. The other droblins will reassure you when they come to visit. Their sorcerers and those of the droblins who have not yet arrived will allow us to bond before they meet you,” Hagan answered in the same hushed tone.

  “Could I wear a shirt, please?” Indigo raised hopeful eyes toward him.

  “Are you cold?”

  She started to nod, yes, even though that was incorrect. Freezing, she shook her head, unwilling to lie to him. “No. I would just feel better if I had some clothes on. It seems so strange here. So much has changed.”

  “Thank you for telling me the truth. For that reason only, I will create a shirt for you to wear.” He looked at her thoughtfully. “Hmmm. I know jade is your favorite color, and Stretch is your favorite stuffie.”

  Drawing a line across her shoulders and down her torso, Hagan muttered a few words in a language Indigo couldn’t recognize. To her delight, a jade-colored t-shirt appeared on her body with a picture of Stretch emblazoned on the front. Giggling with joy, she hugged Hagan close to her. Indigo pushed out the word Pappa that sprung to the tip of her tongue as she thanked him. Her brain had made its decision. He was simply a perfect Pappa.

  Chapter 13

  After a breakfast cuddled on Hagan’s lap, Indigo couldn’t help smiling. She’d never felt so wanted and cherished. It was as if the sorcerer had made her the center of his universe. Basking in his attention and loving care, she forced away her doubts that he could be interested in her and savored being with Hagan. If this ended today, she wanted to enjoy being with him.

  Now, Indigo, Stretch, and the handsome sorcerer sat on the floor of the nursery, playing together. Hagan had recreated some of her favorite games and toys. She had thought he’d just magicked them from her world to his, but Hagan had explained that his powers were limited to this world.

  “I’m kind of in awe of your magic. Could you always do anything you wanted with magic?” Indigo probed.

  “No, blueness. Sorcerers are born with only their secret talent. We learn quickly to build on that talent by increasing our knowledge through study. Ancient books of magic are bought at extravagant prices here and only relinquished when a sorcerer dies,” Hagan explained.

  Unable to stop herself, Indigo blurted, “Are you going to die?”

  Hagan smiled and lifted her to sit astride his thighs once again. “I’m glad you sound worried, droblin. Maybe you’re starting to feel a bit fond of your Pappa?” he teased.

  When she blushed pink, he wrapped her in his arms in a bear hug. Releasing her, he reassured his droblin, “I am old, but there are many centuries of life before me. I am fortunate that you were born and survived to come to me. After we have bonded fully, both of our lives will be extended.”

  “Bonded fully,”
she echoed with a puzzled look.

  “After our bodies have joined completely,” he explained openly.

  “Oh!” she said, feeling her face heat with another blush. To change the subject, she grabbed at something else that he had mentioned. “What’s your secret talent?”

  “There are no secrets between droblins and their sorcerers. I will tell you at some point. When you know, it will be the ultimate secret that you must keep. Telling anyone outside of our circle of thirteen sorcerers and twelve droblins will give power to our enemies and endanger all,” he advised.

  “We have enemies?” she squeaked in fear. She knew that Hagan would not warn her unless the threat were severe.

  “I think it’s time that I showed you something.” The burly sorcerer lifted her to her feet before effortlessly rising to stand with her. Taking her hand, Hagan began to lead her from the room.

  At the doorway, he paused when Indigo tugged her hand free to race to pick up Stretch from the floor where she had abandoned him. Hugging him tightly against her body, Indigo felt better. She ran back to slide her hand back into Hagan’s grip and smiled up at him. “Ready!”

  He squeezed her hand and resumed leading her through the home to a large door that appeared only as he stepped in front of it. “Remember where this room is blueness. It is between these two lamps.” Hagan pointed to two wall sconces that looked just like all the others that lit the hallway.

  “How do I remember those two?” she asked baffled.

  “Look closely,” he advised, pulling her to the side of one.

  Indigo stared at the lamp, trying to see something different. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand wave. A glow grew in the filigree of the ornate sconce. Their initials wove together - an H and an I. She whirled to look at the next one down the hallway that did not signal the hidden room. It looked different somehow. She walked closer and saw that her initial was missing from the design.

  She ran back down the hall to the lamp on the other side of the large door. Staring at the fixture, she saw it again—an H and an I linked together. Their initials were joined together on two lamps. She turned to smile at Hagan. “I see it!”

  Her face froze as she walked back to take his hand. The threat that he had mentioned suddenly seemed more real. Why else would there be a hidden room except in case of danger?

  “When you are with me, you are very safe,” he assured her, easily reading the fright on her face. “I will use every drop of my magic and the strength of my body to protect you from anything that would seek to harm you or any of our precious droblins. The other twelve sorcerers have pledged their lives and powers as well.”

  “Let me show you what I’ve hidden,” he continued quickly as if to distract her. The large door stood before him. In an intricate pattern of movement, the doors crack open. Hagan pulled them shut once again. They latched with a deep locking sound.

  “You try,” he instructs.

  “I’m never going to remember that,” she looked at him in horror.

  “No, but you’ll remember your pattern. You remembered Stretch. He is something that you’ll think of if you’re threatened. Let’s use him as a picture that you will draw,” Hagan suggested.

  Taking her hand, the sorcerer lifted her fingers to press against the tallest door panel that she could reach. “Here’s Stretch’s nose. Let’s draw his head.” He drew her hand to the right for several inches. “Now his long neck,” he added, pulling her hand down. “Stretch needs a body.” Indigo nodded and drew her hand to the right for the giraffe’s long body. Hagan looked at her and winked, “Let’s make it sneaky. Add his tail flicking away a fly,” he urged, and their hands moved together to swish up to the right. “Perfect!”

  Indigo giggled. “Can I try it again?” she asked.

  “Yes. You need to practice so you can remember,” he encouraged her, dropping her hand and stepping back so Indigo could perform the gesture by herself.

  Indigo tried a half dozen times, but the door did not crack open. Stymied, she turned to look at Hagan. “It doesn’t work for me.”

  “Nothing works here without magic. I’m going to give you a bit of magic, so you will hold the key that unlocks the door. Be warned that it will also message me that you have entered the code.” He looked at her very seriously, “You should never be in my study without me unless you are escaping from danger. There are things inside that could hurt you if you mess with them. It is not an area for play. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Pappa.” The word slipped from her lips, drawn from her mind by the severity of his warning.

  “Thank you, droblin,” he whispered, pulling her in for a hug.

  Indigo knew that he had heard that special word when he added, “I have wished for nothing more in my life than to be your Pappa.” She stepped back one step to look at his face. Noting his gray eyes were suspiciously filled with tears, Indigo couldn’t resist rising to her tiptoes to offer her lips to the handsome man who was moved simply by her use of that particular word.

  Hagan swooped down to lift her into his arms and kiss her lips repeatedly. He did not deepen the kiss past sweet pecks of approval, and he broadened his target to drop light kisses all over her face and neck that tickled her skin. Giggling, Indigo clung to him.

  “Stop, Pappa! I’m going to wet my pants,” she cried as her giggles and his squeezing arm threatened her full bladder.

  “Let’s finish this first, and then we will deal with your diaper, blueness,” he instructed without an iota of embarrassment or disdain. “Show me your right hand. I am going to give you just a little bit of magic.”

  Taking ahold of her first three fingers, he explained, “Kai, the last sorcerer to welcome his droblin, discovered that he could give his Amber a bit of magic. This will only work to open that hidden door and to notify me.”

  His eyes closed, and Indigo felt her fingers heat slightly for just a few seconds. “There! It’s done,” Hagan proclaimed, setting her down to stand in front of the door. “Let’s see if it works. Remember, you are drawing Stretch,” he reminded her before stepping back.

  “Aren’t you going to help me?” she questioned, peeking over her shoulder at him.

  “No. You can do it. Start with his head,” he prompted her.

  Indigo nodded and turned back to the door. Carefully she lifted herself onto her tiptoes and drew Stretch’s head. “Now, his long neck,” she narrated as she drew. “Finally, his body.” She stepped back, anticipating the door would crack open, but nothing happened.

  Puzzled, she looked back at him. Hagan just raised one eyebrow and pointed to her clothing. Looking down at her t-shirt with the stuffie’s picture, she moved her arm again in a smaller sweeping motion and then cried, “I forgot his tail. Sorry, Stretch!”

  Again, she brushed her enchanted fingertips against the door, muttering as she drew, “Head, neck, body, tail!” Her fingers added that final flourish, and with the creaking sound of heavy doors, Hagan’s library opened to welcome her.

  “I did it! I did magic!” She turned to take two big steps to meet Hagan and jumped into the air, confident that he would catch her.

  The jolt of her body impacting his hard muscles and the squeeze of those massive arms wrapping around her to catch her were the final straw for her bladder. “Nooo!” she cried as she began to wet her pants. She tried so hard to stop the flow of urine but couldn’t.

  Frantically, she pushed against Hagan’s body, trying to get away from him so she wouldn’t pee on him as well. Those arms didn’t budge. In fact, they tightened around her waist.

  “Please, let me down,” she begged, feeling her face flush with embarrassed heat for what felt like the twentieth time since she had arrived.

  “You are fine, my blueness. Your body is doing exactly what it should. Finish, and I will change your diaper before I show you something in my library,” Hagan gently urged as he shifted her to the side to press firmly against her lower abdomen.

  “Aaah!” she cried as th
e last of her control evaporated. Waiting to feel urine escape from the diaper to run down her leg or to get him wet, Indigo began to cry.

  “Shhh, blueness. It’s okay. I will take care of you,” he promised, leading her into the library. Kneeling down on a rug, he placed her on the soft surface as if she was fragile.

  While Indigo covered her face with her hands, Hagan quickly removed her sodden diaper, cleaned her skin, and wrapped her in a fresh, dry diaper. She peeked between her fingers to watch him. His mouth curved in a gentle smile as he used his magic to bring the supplies he needed and to transport everything away when he finished.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered as he drew her hands from her face.

  Hagan silently used the end of his soft sleeve to wipe away her tears. “I have waited to take care of you for so many years. It is an honor to tend to your needs, Indigo,” he solemnly shared.

  Rising to his feet, Hagan extended a hand to her. Automatically, Indigo placed her hand in his. She grinned as his fist closed, totally engulfing hers.

  “I love your smile, blueness. You make my heart happy,” he complimented her as a devastating smile spread across his face.

  With her heart beating a bit faster due to the handsome sorcerer, Indigo’s smile widened. How did I get chosen to be his droblin? she wondered as she basked in his attention.

  “The question is more, how did the universe choose me to be your Pappa?” he asked, without thinking as he led her to his desk.

  Chapter 14

  Indigo took three steps next to him before it dawned on her. Whirling to look at him, she tugged her hand from his. “I didn’t say that out loud! Can you read my thoughts?” Horrified at the idea, she stared at him.