"No," Valles said, firmly.
"Come on, V...." Braende cajoled back
"No."
"It'll be fun!" Lynna added from her spot on the armchair that she'd informally adopted as "hers" whenever she came over to their
apartment.
"No. Not gonna happen," V said, again trying to be firm, but it was clear the united efforts of her girlfriends was making her waver. "It's
too exposed, and besides, the water around here is cold this time of year..."
Lynna glanced over at Braende, a flicker of informal body language passing between them. They weren't exactly the closest knit bedfellows personally, but
when it came to talking V into some fun, they understood, aided, and abetted each other perfectly.
"We're not going to go anywhere public," Lynna explained. "There's a ton of private lagoons the rich folks have for the winter....that
they never use."
"And if I'm going to be swimming around you two....when you're both not wearing a stitch? That water's not going to stay cold for long,"
Braende giggled.
"Well...." Valles said, wavering, before sighing. "As long as you get permission so we're not trespassing."
Lyn and B exchanged a high-five as V put a hand to her face. "I'm going to regret this...."
***
A splash was followed by a gasp of lost breath as V hit the water, coming up arms clinging to herself. "Brr! That's freezing!"
Lynna looked down, a clearly amused look on her face. "Yeah, I can tell from here," she noted.
V looked down and then scowled. "You two did that on purpose."
"Pretty much," Braende noted, before diving into the pool herself. V noticed the water warm up almost immediately to comfortable levels as Lynna swam
over and curled around her.
"C'mon, it's not that bad. No one's around to see us."
Valles took a breath, then let it out, letting the warm water soothe the tenseness in her muscles(as well as the proximity of her girlfriends), before smiling
slightly. "I guess you're right. Still, I do wonder how you got this place."
"Oh, I have my ways of convincing people," Lynna noted, wrapping her arms around V's waist.
"Nothing illegal?" V wondered, starting to worry.
"Not in the least..."
**Yesterday**
"Master Johnson?"
"Yes, Hemphrey?" Alan Johnson asked, looking up at his butler. Hemphrey nodded in acknowledgement.
"A Madame Lynna Mason would like to speak with you at your earliest convenience."
Johnson froze for a second, before nodding. "Bring her in," he said, keeping his voice even and casual.
"Very good, sir."
Privately, Johnson fretted. According to the Masons, their daughter was away at a boarding school in Europe, rather than continuing to send her to private
schools in the increasingly dangerous Paragon neighborhoods. Even the daughter of a Council Adjutant couldn't expect special treatment from the Family or
the Tsoo. For her to be here now...he calmed himself as she walked in, an odd mixture of the grace of a proper lady and the languid stroll of a common street
punk. She smiled at him, but he was certain he noted a predatory cast about her features. She wanted something.
"Lynna, I'm surprised to see you. Your parents said you were in Europe still."
There was a flash of...something in her features, confirming his belief that the story was not as joyous and family friendly as the Masons had implied. Perhaps
they'd gotten tired of spoiling the girl rotten. "Yes, well, it's fall break, so I'm back here, visiting old friends. Speaking of which....do
you still have that old lakehouse out on your south properties?"
Johnson didn't let himself breath out too heavily. Lynna hadn't changed. She wanted something simple and was using her family's pull instinctually
to get it. Nothing major. "Of course. You want to take a few friends out there, go fishing or something?"
"Yeah, pretty much. We won't need an escort or anything. My friend's providing the transportation. But if we could just get a key or
something..."
"Of course."
"And um...if you could....not record the security cameras? It kinda creeps V out," she said, as if imparting a grave secret.
Johnson smiled slightly. V...hm. "I don't know....I trust you, but I don't know your friends."
"I'll vouch for them...I'd not bother asking but...well..." she said, seeming reluctant.
"If you have a reason, it's okay to tell me. I promise to keep it confidential." Until I know how I can use
it.
"Well....V's....my girlfriend," she finally said, seeming nervous.
Johnson looked at her for a moment, then sighed internally. The Mason's little gem was a lesbian. Like he could get much out of that. "Ah. I
understand. You want privacy at night. Certainly. Tell Hemphrey I've okayed it, and he'll get you a key and a security override card."
"Thanks, Mr. Johnson," she grinned, stepping over and hugging him slightly. She darted out of view, as Johnson rolled his eyes at her back and
wondered why he'd gotten so in a ruffle about that girl. Her parents made certain she was never involved in the intrigues around the upper echelons of
Independence society...
**The Present**
Lynna smiled as she rested on one side of V in the mammoth bed the master bedroom had contained. Talking them into staying the night had been easy, especially
on a weekend. And tonight had been worth it. After she and B'd gotten done with her, Valles would probably sleep in till noon. Cuddling in closer and
entwining her fingers in a sleeping Braende's on top of V, Lynna closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."
"Come on, V...." Braende cajoled back
"No."
"It'll be fun!" Lynna added from her spot on the armchair that she'd informally adopted as "hers" whenever she came over to their
apartment.
"No. Not gonna happen," V said, again trying to be firm, but it was clear the united efforts of her girlfriends was making her waver. "It's
too exposed, and besides, the water around here is cold this time of year..."
Lynna glanced over at Braende, a flicker of informal body language passing between them. They weren't exactly the closest knit bedfellows personally, but
when it came to talking V into some fun, they understood, aided, and abetted each other perfectly.
"We're not going to go anywhere public," Lynna explained. "There's a ton of private lagoons the rich folks have for the winter....that
they never use."
"And if I'm going to be swimming around you two....when you're both not wearing a stitch? That water's not going to stay cold for long,"
Braende giggled.
"Well...." Valles said, wavering, before sighing. "As long as you get permission so we're not trespassing."
Lyn and B exchanged a high-five as V put a hand to her face. "I'm going to regret this...."
***
A splash was followed by a gasp of lost breath as V hit the water, coming up arms clinging to herself. "Brr! That's freezing!"
Lynna looked down, a clearly amused look on her face. "Yeah, I can tell from here," she noted.
V looked down and then scowled. "You two did that on purpose."
"Pretty much," Braende noted, before diving into the pool herself. V noticed the water warm up almost immediately to comfortable levels as Lynna swam
over and curled around her.
"C'mon, it's not that bad. No one's around to see us."
Valles took a breath, then let it out, letting the warm water soothe the tenseness in her muscles(as well as the proximity of her girlfriends), before smiling
slightly. "I guess you're right. Still, I do wonder how you got this place."
"Oh, I have my ways of convincing people," Lynna noted, wrapping her arms around V's waist.
"Nothing illegal?" V wondered, starting to worry.
"Not in the least..."
**Yesterday**
"Master Johnson?"
"Yes, Hemphrey?" Alan Johnson asked, looking up at his butler. Hemphrey nodded in acknowledgement.
"A Madame Lynna Mason would like to speak with you at your earliest convenience."
Johnson froze for a second, before nodding. "Bring her in," he said, keeping his voice even and casual.
"Very good, sir."
Privately, Johnson fretted. According to the Masons, their daughter was away at a boarding school in Europe, rather than continuing to send her to private
schools in the increasingly dangerous Paragon neighborhoods. Even the daughter of a Council Adjutant couldn't expect special treatment from the Family or
the Tsoo. For her to be here now...he calmed himself as she walked in, an odd mixture of the grace of a proper lady and the languid stroll of a common street
punk. She smiled at him, but he was certain he noted a predatory cast about her features. She wanted something.
"Lynna, I'm surprised to see you. Your parents said you were in Europe still."
There was a flash of...something in her features, confirming his belief that the story was not as joyous and family friendly as the Masons had implied. Perhaps
they'd gotten tired of spoiling the girl rotten. "Yes, well, it's fall break, so I'm back here, visiting old friends. Speaking of which....do
you still have that old lakehouse out on your south properties?"
Johnson didn't let himself breath out too heavily. Lynna hadn't changed. She wanted something simple and was using her family's pull instinctually
to get it. Nothing major. "Of course. You want to take a few friends out there, go fishing or something?"
"Yeah, pretty much. We won't need an escort or anything. My friend's providing the transportation. But if we could just get a key or
something..."
"Of course."
"And um...if you could....not record the security cameras? It kinda creeps V out," she said, as if imparting a grave secret.
Johnson smiled slightly. V...hm. "I don't know....I trust you, but I don't know your friends."
"I'll vouch for them...I'd not bother asking but...well..." she said, seeming reluctant.
"If you have a reason, it's okay to tell me. I promise to keep it confidential." Until I know how I can use
it.
"Well....V's....my girlfriend," she finally said, seeming nervous.
Johnson looked at her for a moment, then sighed internally. The Mason's little gem was a lesbian. Like he could get much out of that. "Ah. I
understand. You want privacy at night. Certainly. Tell Hemphrey I've okayed it, and he'll get you a key and a security override card."
"Thanks, Mr. Johnson," she grinned, stepping over and hugging him slightly. She darted out of view, as Johnson rolled his eyes at her back and
wondered why he'd gotten so in a ruffle about that girl. Her parents made certain she was never involved in the intrigues around the upper echelons of
Independence society...
**The Present**
Lynna smiled as she rested on one side of V in the mammoth bed the master bedroom had contained. Talking them into staying the night had been easy, especially
on a weekend. And tonight had been worth it. After she and B'd gotten done with her, Valles would probably sleep in till noon. Cuddling in closer and
entwining her fingers in a sleeping Braende's on top of V, Lynna closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."