The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Home is beautiful.

Arriving for the first time, having never been here before, I immediately knew two things: One, that this was, indeed, my Home, the place where my family line had originated, a place that seemed to sing to my very blood. And Two, that it was more beautiful than any picture or magazine could possibly convey. Norway is, in and of itself, a beautiful country, with a wide variety of flora, fauna, and landscapes. I’d visited Europe years ago, but I’d never had the chance to tour the Nordic countries. From the moment I first set foot on this soil, I felt as if this was where I truly belonged.

As for Home itself... it defies accurate description. Picture a huge green forest, unspoiled by pollution, or civilization, with pure air and water, with a bounty of animals that don’t fear you, that would come right up to your outstretched hand if you beckoned to them. Picture the most amazing Disney cartoon, the most heartwarming, tear-jerking scenes you can think of... and you only begin to scratch the surface. I felt a deep... primordial connection with the land... with everything, in fact. I supposed THIS was what Grandmother had been speaking of when she mentioned the bonding.

I glanced over at my Grandmother as she walked, naked and unashamed, towards the number of women gathered to greet us. Like herself, like myself, they were all nude. Like my Grandmother, they all sported snow white hair. And like my Grandmother, they were all, breathtakingly beautiful.

“Greetings, my Children,” Grandma Vurda said formally, bowing slightly at the waist. “I have returned to you again, and I’ve brought our wayward Sister with me. She is new, and not yet fully indoctrinated in our ways, so be gentle with her. Her name is Lacie Ann, the daughter of my daughter, Amelia. Girls, make her feel welcome.”

And they do. Nothing like having a score or two of buxom beautiful naked women fawning over you, eager to make your acquaintance. I was already a bit piqued from my time with Grandmother—after leaving the hospital, She felt it worthwhile to catch up a bit, in the traditional ‘family way’, and make up for lost time—but within a few seconds, I found myself responding again.

“Hi, I’m Melody,” a woman a year or two older than myself announced, leaning in for a nice deep kiss. “Welcome to our Home. I’m so glad you’ve finally come back to us.”

“So am I,” I replied shyly, lowering my eyes slightly. My mind was swirling with visions of Isabella and myself, exploring one another’s bodies. I glanced up, and she nodded slightly, smiling. She knew what I’d been thinking, and I blushed slightly with embarrassment.

“Oh, look, she’s blushing!” an attractive teenage girl, announced, pointed out, making me blush all the more. “Our new Sister is the shy type.”

“That’s because she hasn’t gotten the chance to know us yet Gina,” a slightly older girl said, stepping forward. She smiled, reaching out a hand towards me, and when I took it, she pulled me into a tight embrace. “No need to be so formal, dear. We’re all family here. My name is Isabella, and I will be the one guiding you through your training.”

“Training?” I asked, confused. There was a lot about what I was supposed to do that was really unclear. The thought of having someone to serve as a guide and a mentor made me feel less anxious. Not that I was overly anxious, anyway. Since my Grandmother had explained my destined role as a Fatespinner to me, I somehow felt no fear, and no anxiety, whatsoever. After all, I was here because I was supposed to be. It was my Destiny. I felt strangely calm, if slightly unsure just what I was supposed to do. The confusion must have been evident on my face, because Isabella tut-tutted, shaking her head.

“Huh. I’ll just be Grandma Vurda didn’t take the time to explain what you are to do. Am I right?”

Vurda scowled. “It’s not as if I had a lot of time to fill her in. Besides, Bella, it is YOUR task to instruct our newest Sister in the ways of the Great Weave. My own talents are best utilized elsewhere, and I should return to them.” She glanced around. “Speaking of which, where is Gertruda?”

“She is still within the Well, Grandmother,” another young woman I didn’t know yet answered. “She delved in just before you arrived.”

Vurda sighed. “Well, I should join her then. Without someone to keep her in balance, the dear girl will start trimming the weave too short.” She turned to walk deeper into the forest.

“I don’t understand,” I said, finally. “Where is Grandmother going? Where is this Well? And what does that have to do with me, exactly?” I blushed again, as everyone’s attention again became focused on me. “I mean... I know I’m to become a Fatespinner, like all of you, but I’d not sure exactly what that means. And I should probably warn you... my best subjects in school were math and science. I’m not much of a weaver, or seamstress... I actually flunked Home Economics the first time around.”

The girls all laughed. I had a vague moment of clarity, and it suddenly occurred to me that none of these girls knew any English. I knew, because I had just become aware of the fact that I wasn’t speaking English either! I’m not sure where the knowledge came from, but I was somehow easily speaking and understanding an old dialect of Old Norse. Did these girls even know what Home Economics was?

“It’s your bond with us,” Isabella said moments later. “You were wondering just now how it is that you can communicate with us so freely. It’s part of being a Fatespinner. You are connected to everyone and everything around you. We are a part of you, Lacie. Further, we are all connected, by blood, to one another. Grandma Vurda is not merely a title of respect, she IS our grandmother, as surely as she is your own.” I blinked in surprise, but somehow I knew the truth of her words even as she spoke them. “And, not all of us are Fatespinners. In fact, of those of us here, only you, I, and two others have that talent. Most have Grandma Vurda’s talent, and three of us have Gertruda’s power. We all share the same bloodline, but the power manifests itself differently for each of us.”

I nodded. I remembered a lot of my Norse Mythology, and about the three Wyrd Sisters. It was a little hard to wrap my mind around the concept that the stories were real, and that I was a descendant of them. It was harder still to reconcile the fact that of all the women in our bloodline, of all of my sisters and cousins here at Home, I had been chosen to become the next Verdandi.

Training for... interesting. In my former life in the normal mundane world, I’d studied Theoretical Particle Physics as a career. Everything was abstract concepts and out-of-the-box thinking. It was all about anticipating what would likely happen if an extremely unlikely occurrence, such as one specific quark sub-particle in a billion were to suddenly spin in the opposite direction, which, theoretically, would cause OTHER particles to change their rotation, causing a chain reaction of occurrences normally beyond the normal ken. In short, it was all about trying to figure out how changing one tiny seemingly insignificant thing here would cause drastic changes further down the line later on.

Being a Fatespinner was a lot like that, only a lot less theoretical and a lot more hands-on. Isabella taught me to open my mind, to open myself up, and extend my consciousness in all directions... to diffuse my thoughts and simply let myself feel and react to every occurrence around me, no matter how small. Maybe it was all the adventures I’d had in my previous life, and all the times I’d had my mind twisted like a pretzel, but I found in strangely easy to let my mind just turn off, to stop thinking and let myself function on autopilot. When I came back to myself, I was exhausted, mentally drained, and as horny as an entire college fraternity. I pounced on Isabella, pinning her down, practically devouring her, while she, feeling just as turned on as me, eagerly returned the favor.

It became something of a routine. I would practice connecting to the world around me, letting myself go completely blank, allowing Isabella to guide me, then afterwards we’d fuck like bunnies on speed. Sometimes it would be another girl teaching me, Melody, with the long nimble fingers, or Gina, the sweet fresh faced teenager with the bubbly spirit and the energy and enthusiasm of youth. That wasn’t to say that my other Sisters didn’t each get a turn ‘welcoming’ the newcomer. I was living a life of bliss, nestled in the (figurative and literal) bosom of sisterly love and contentment. Time ceased to have any real meaning to me after a while, and with nothing there to remind me, I began to forget all about life outside of my Home.

Not long after I had finally mastered connecting to the world around me, I met another girl. Like the others, she was fair skinned, with deep blue eyes and long pure white hair, but she was much younger than the others. She appeared at most six years old, and yet when I met her for the first time, I felt struck by her presence. Her eyes, as clear as the others, bespoke a wisdom far beyond her apparent years. “Hello,” she said, bowing slightly at the waist. “My name is Gertruda. Sorry it’s taken me so long to meet you, I’ve been busy. I trust the others have made you... welcome?” she said with a lick of her lips that I found equal parts enticing and disturbing.

“Yes, they have,” I said, brushing off my unease. “It is good to meet you after all this time.” I leaned forward, kissing her gently, and she responded in kind. “Grandma Vurda said that you were... in the Well?”

She nodded. “You haven’t been inside yet, have you?” I shook my head. “You will, though, soon enough. You’re almost ready. We ALL spend time on the Ethereal Plane, in shifts, working the Great Weave. Only the Chosen Ones can spend any length of time there without it adversely draining them.”

I suddenly understood. “You’re the Chosen One of Skuld’s bloodline,” I blurted out. She laughed.

“Yes. That is my predestined role in this life. Consequently, even though I am family, just like the rest of you, the others tend to be a bit... unnerved by me.” She shrugged. “Even if it is my job to eventually end the life threads of everyone in our world at the proper time, it’s not as if I’m the Grim Reaper, or anything.”

I tilted my head to the side, considering. “Well, you’re not GRIM, at any rate. And I’m sorry if my first reaction to you was less than friendly. I don’t think you’re very scary.”

Gertruda smiled at me then. “Thank you, Big Sister. That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” Then she got a far off look in her eye, and shook her head. “It will be a pleasure to work together with you for as long as you are here with us.” With that, she turned and walked back to rejoin the others.

In Norse Legend, the world itself was encompassed by Yggdrasil, the world-tree, a single tree so massive that not only this world, but ALL worlds were contained within, and linked by its branches. At the base of this tree sat a well, called Urdarbrunnr, a holy well, whose mystical waters feed Yggdrasil and give it it’s strength and longevity. It is said that anyone or anything that enters that well will become as white as the membrane of an eggshell, as white as snow and just as pure, than two common birds that once swam inside were bleached white, becoming beautiful and elegant, and became known as the first swans.

The well in front of me pulsed with a power that shook me to my core, and I could indeed believe the legends were true. A soft pale white light seemed to emanate from the giant well itself, and I wondered as I stood at the precipice if my hair would turn as white as my Sisters’ once I stepped inside.

“It is time, Lacie,” Grandmother Vurda said softly from behind me. “Don’t be afraid. This is what you were meant for, child. It was what you were born for. You have mastered your training, and yourself. Now, step forward, and embrace your true destiny!”

I did so. The water felt nice and soothing against my toes as I stepped over the edge of the wall, cool but not icy cold. I slid seamlessly through the clear clean water, floating for a moment, treading water, preparing myself for the next step. I took a careful sip of the water... then opened my mouth fully, drinking deeply. Mmmmm! Sparkling glacier runoff couldn’t even begin to compare! Even moreso, I felt vitalized, as if I’d just downed two cups of coffee with sugar. Despite this, my mind remained clear and focused. A tiny part of myself, that tiny kernel of self-preservation, of instinct that kicks in whenever you start to do something dangerously life threatening was telling me to get out, reminding me that people don’t breathe water, that going any deeper would be harmful to my health. I closed my eyes. stilling the slightly fast beat of my heart, listening only to the soft comforting words that Grandmother, Melody, Gina, and Isabella had crooned in my ear, into my empty open mind time and time again during my training. Finally, the tiny voice faded and went silent, and I slipped beneath the waters.

Words... cannot describe the feeling, the sensation. I opened my eyes and Saw. I extended my senses and Felt. I listened, and I Heard. By that, I mean... even the word ‘EVERYTHING’ seems somehow inadequate. My training kicked in immediately, and I let my mind drift and go blank, let my consciousness and my senses expand, letting me connect to all. I could feel everyone and everything living on Earth, from the tiniest blades of grass, to the feeling of the Nordic breeze blowing across Gina’s naked flesh.

I was one with the Great Weave! If I focused my sight, I could almost make out the ethereal threads of light radiating out in all directions, connecting everyone and everything. It was, indeed, like a giant tapestry to light, infinitely complex, and yet at the same time, marvelously simple. I found that I had control over the ebb and flow of time to an extent, slowing or stopping the tapestry in order to focus on a particular spot. I could not roll it backwards, however, to peer into past events, nor could I roll it forward any significant length, to gaze into the future. Those provinces, I assumed, were the domains of the other Wyrd Sisters, Urd and Skuld, or Grandmother Vurda, and Gertruda, respectively. Nevertheless, I found myself with a staggering amount of power and control over all of existence... with a few restrictions.

The first restriction was that a Fatespinner was forbidden, i.e., unable, to alter their own fate, or the fate of the other Chosen Ones. Within the Great Weave, I easily found my own life thread, a shining golden line streaming from the center of my being. Unlike the other lines, which I could tug and pull, and twist at will, my own line remained solid and immobile, like a line of metal wire among cotton threads. Likewise, the threads of Grandma Vurda and young Gertruda were unchangeable by me. Not that I wished to alter them in any way, but I found it strange, considering how Grandmother had very much altered MY destiny by bringing me here...

The second restriction was that, by design, certain threads were also unalterable. They were far and few between, but in my time within the Great Weave I did notice a few. The way I understood it, some events are simply meant to happen. Certain things, whether good or bad, HAVE to occur, are MEANT to occur, and no amount of tampering with the threads of fate can alter them. Even we, the Sisters than weave, guide, and shape the Tapestry of Fate, are unaware of it’s design. I like to think that God, or Gods, Above, is/are the architects of Destiny, and that we are merely Its caretakers.

The third restriction, which was more of a fact rather than a rule, was that to truly utilize the Great Weave, I needed to slip onto the Ethereal Plane. I could interact with the life threads of those around me, to a degree, outside the well, but the effort was much more taxing. The few times I attempted it gave me a massive headache for hours afterwards.

Still, it’s a wondrous feeling to alter fate with the force of your own will, being able to effect so many lives in so many different ways. A man in Colorado on his way to an appointment is heading for a fatal accident further up the road. I slight tweak here, and his car stalls out before the exit. He’s upset, angry at his car overheating, but thankful hours later when he hears about the rockslide that he narrowly avoided. A tornado springs up in Kansas, heading for a crowded residential area. It’s too late to stop it, to go backwards, but I can guide it, maneuver it, and even though the destruction of property is enormous, no lives are lost. In Las Angeles, the police chase a suspected drug dealer, driving frantically through traffic trying to evade capture. He turns left, switching off his lights, and the police swerve, preparing to turn to the right. Another slight tweak, and the criminal drivers over a bump in the road, causing him to bump against his car horn just as the police are about to pass his location.

Slight changes, here and there, small things, easily passed off as sheer luck, or random chance, but that are, in reality, anything but random.

It’s not long before I find my first tangle. Several threads, twisted, tangled, pulling together, and snagging against several others as it progresses. I sense somehow that THIS is my true mission, the reason for my being here. Several people, their lives revolving around a specific event, something seemingly small and inconsequential, but with far reaching consequences. I can almost sense it... feel it starting to form. An explosion at a nuclear power plant... yes. That’s what I’m seeing. I move quickly, adjusting a thread here, tugging another there. It becomes... complicated, as removing some threads from the knot pulls others into it, changing its shape and form, but not actually removing the problem. I need to focus. I need to remove myself from the problem and just let my instincts guide my actions.

Okay. The maintenance supervisor, Richard, is heading in to work, even though he’s got the flu. Tweak. Now he decides to call in, that he’s better off at home if he’s not a hundred percent. Alright, let’s call in Albert, the assistant supervisor, even though it’s his day off. Good. Ahhhh... two of the monitors for the system, one of which is having family issues at home and is distracted... the other is bored, plans to read through the new Nora Roberts novel instead of watching the monitors. Tweak. Tweak. Coffee mug spills over. Sorry, Lizzie, looks like you’ll have to find out what happens to Dante the next time you visit the bookstore. And as for Carl... with the A/C blowing just right you can smell Lizzie’s new perfume, the same kind your wife used to wear back when you still talked to each other. Now... with everyone alert and aware of what’s going on around them, I can tweak the actual problem itself. Ugghh... thread is resisting... not wanting to twist... but it’s not immobile. I can’t stop the core from overheating, but I can delay it, a bit... more... and now that everyone sees the danger, and is reacting to it, they can prevent a total meltdown. Whew!

I feel a bit winded, as if I’d just had a thorough workout. I want to continue, want to keep going, keep spinning the threads of fate, but my Trainer’s words come back to me: When I am fatigued, I need to return, to exit the Ethereal Plane and leave the Well. Closing my eyes, I pull back my awareness, becoming aware of myself again for the first time in what feels like... a very long time. I feel myself begin to rise, slowly at first, then faster, and faster. A slight pressure builds within my chest, and with a slight gasp I push up, breaking the surface of the water once more.

“Welcome back, Lacie,” Isabella and the others greet me warmly, holding out a hand to help me out of the Well. I shake my head slightly, partially to clear my head, and partially to shed some of the excess water clinging to me. I notice, somewhat disappointed, that my hair hasn’t turned white. Instead of dark brown, however, it’s turned a lustrous gold, just like... like...

A frown creases my lips as I try and remember exactly when my hair had been this color before. I’m... pretty sure it’s happened before. It feels familiar, even if I can’t quite picture it....

“Is something wrong, child?” Grandmother Vurda asks, stepping forward through the crowd. “You look like something is troubling you.”

“No, Grandmother,” I say with a slight smile. “It’s nothing. I was just... hoping my hair would have turned white like everyone else’s by the time I left the Well.” Which was true. I felt a small but sharp pang of separation from my Sisters. I was one of them now, yes, but I wanted to be just like them as well. With my shining gold mane I stood apart. Grandma Vurda just shook her head.

“Don’t let it bother you, child. I, too, had hoped that spending time on the Ethereal Plane would purify you as it did the other girls... but that you HAVE changed is obvious. Perhaps with a bit more communing it will change to white.” She smiled, caressing my cheek lovingly. “You did very well for your first time, my daughter’s daughter. Gertruda and I entered soon after you, though we both had to leave before you did. I must say, I am rather surprised at your level of stamina. I can’t remember a Chosen One that has lasted as long within the well as you, especially on her first time!”

I felt a bit flattered at the praise. “Thank you, Grandmother. So... um... how long WAS I in the Well?” I was a bit hungry, and I figured it had to have been at least a few hours. The answer knocked me for a loop.

“You were in for over three weeks, four days and eleven hours,” Gertruda said, matter-of-factly. She walked up to me, holding a small platter of food. “Feel free to dig in. You must be famished.” I nodded numbly, picking up a fresh cut orange slice. Three weeks? Surely they were mistaken... and yet, I knew also that my Sisters wouldn’t lie to me about something so trivial. I glanced back at the Well again, peering over the edge. From here, it looked like an ordinary well... or as ordinary a well emitting a soft pale glowing white light can be considered. A slender arm wrapped around my waist, and Isabella grinned as she pulled me away from the Well.

“Come on. You need to eat, rest, and release a little sexual tension, in that order. And don’t worry about your hair. I kind of like it. It’s exotic, and sexy.” She twirled a lock of it around her little finger as she leaned forward to nibble lightly on the nape of my neck, giving me goose bumps. When her tongue slid deftly over that same spot a moment later, I moaned softly, nearly going weak in the knees. She whispered something softly into my ear, but by then I was flying too high to even pay attention to the words. She headed back to the enclosure, and I followed obediently behind her.

“Wake up.”

A soft touch on my shoulder roused me, and I wiped the sleep from my eyes to find Gertruda standing over me. Her face was solemn and somewhat sad, and when she gestured for me to be quiet, I nodded. She turned and headed outside, and I followed her out. The moon was full and high in the night sky, and the normally warm pleasant air had cooled considerably.

“What’s wrong, Sister,” I said formally, bowing slightly to her, another Chosen One, but Gertruda merely pulled me tight to her, hugging me hard. I sighed softly, enjoying the feel of her skin against my own, then stared down at her as she finally pulled away. “What is it, Gertruda? What’s bothering you?”

“I...” she began, then shook her head, turning away. “I am in something of a quandary,” she said a moment later, and I had to resist the urge to smile at such a small, young girl sounding so serious, using such big words. “I have a duty to the Great Weave, and to all of us, to do what is best for to keep everyone’s Destiny on course. As Skuld’s descendant, and the one chose to receive her Gift, I have a duty to the future, to taking whatever actions are necessary to ensure the future that I’m blessed with seeing comes to pass. And... I have a duty to you, Lacie, to my big sister, to the doing what is best for you, personally, as a member of my family, of my blood.” She paced slightly, back and forth, as she spoke. Whatever was bothering her seemed to weigh deeply on her mind. “For the first time in over a century, my duties are in conflict with one another. I feel like I should act... but do I follow my head and do what is needed, or do I follow my heart, and do what is right?”

I considered her words carefully. From her phrasing, I knew that whatever decision she struggled with revolved around me, but I had no idea what it could involve. Did it have to do with my future? Was something bad going to happen to me? I started to ask her, but then I stopped. She was struggling with a very important decision, and as curious as I was, I had to think about her, not myself. “I don’t know what to tell you, sweetie,” I said after a moment. “I don’t want o unfairly influence you... but the only advice I can give you is the same advice someone once gave me. ‘If you’re ever confused about what path to take, or what choice to make, always listen to your heart. Even if it’s not the smart thing, you can never go wrong doing what’s right’.”

Gertruda nodded slowly, her smile returning. “That was as beautiful as it was eloquent. Who gave you that advice?”

“I...” I began, then frowned. “I don’t know. Funny, I can’t remember.” I shrugged. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. It’s good advice, regardless of who gave it to me. I hope it helped?”

She nodded. “Yes, it did. Thank you, Big Sister,” she said, formally, bowing slightly. She glanced over her shoulder. “Would you do me two small favors?”

“Of course,” I said with a smile. “Anything. What is it?”

“If Vurda asks what we talked about, would you just tell her that we were talking about the Well? It’s not really important, and she probably won’t ask, but, well... could you just do me the favor? Please?”

I thought about it for a moment. She was asking me to lie to Grandmother, which was bad... but only about what we were talking about, which was private anyway. And only if Grandmother asked. Besides, it was such a small favor, and it wouldn’t really hurt anyone if Grandmother didn’t know what we had spoken about. “Okay, I promise. What’s the second favor?”

“When you return to the Well, I want you to focus on a particular person for me. A young woman, who is actually quite close to us, here at Home.” She turned to walk away, then added, almost as an afterthought, “Oh, and her name? It’s Eva Snow.”

Her name is Eva Snow.

The name haunted my thoughts, and rattled aimlessly in the empty recesses of my mind as I tried to extend my senses outward into the ether. Eva Snow. Eva. Snow. I didn’t know that name, and yet, I did. A strange duality was plaguing my mind even as I fought to suppress it, to let go and focus only on drifting. I needed to stop thinking. I needed to let go. It was the only way I could fully connect to the Great Weave. It took me much longer to attain that blissful state of obliviousness this time, but finally, I was there.

Eva Snow.

The thought popped up again, floating like a cork in the sea of my consciousness. As if those two words were a catalyst, I found my focus sharpening, zeroing in on one particular thread... no, wait... two threads. It took me a second or two to figure it out, but I soon remembered where I’d seen this before. She was undoubtedly a twin, one of two people with the exact same life threads, even as they lead two distinct lives. One was rather far away, nearly on the other side of the world, but the other was... well, Gertruda had stated that she was very close by. I narrowed my focus even more, and I saw that her thread was accompanied by another thread, though the two did not intersect. Narrowing my focus even more, I was able to see them, and hear them both...

“...not sure how much more time we can spend here, Eugene,” Eva said with a sigh. “It’s been five months now. Wherever she is, she is simply beyond our reach.”

“She’s NOT beyond our reach!” Gene replied, angrily. He paced back and forth, idly rubbing the several weeks of stubble covering his normally clean shaven chin. “You said it yourself, she is here! Somewhere. You’ve felt her, time and time again, were able to almost pierce her thoughts! She’s somewhere on this bloody island, and I dinnae care if it takes two more months, or three more decades, I’m NOT leaving without her!”

Eva rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Look, I know you’re worried about her. So am I. And I know you’re very concerned about the children as well. It is highly possible that she’s given birth by now if the babies’ growth was enhanced through the magic. But Gene... we’ve checked with every medical facility in the area, we’ve talked to every single authority or person of influence in this country, and I’ve personally mind scanned every single person this place and I tell you no one knows anything! It’s a dead end, Gene. We need to move on.”

The Scotsman groaned softly, collapsing onto the bed. “Aye... maybe yer right. I’ve had my company’s satellite surveillance program running since we first arrived, scanning for any trace of her DNA or energy signature. It’s telling me the same thing your psychic powers are telling you—that she’s here, but she’s NOT here.” He closed his eyes. “Lass... I want to thank you for staying with me all this time, helping me search for as long as you have. If you want, I’ll arrange for my jet to fly you and Melissa back to the States in the morning.”

“And what about you?”

Gene shook his head. “I already told ye. I’m not going. She’s my wife, and they’re my children. I’ll not leave here without them. Even if it takes me forever to find out where she is... even if I NEVER find her, I’m not giving up.” He chuckled ruefully. “Yanno, it wouldnae surprise me a bit if she were missing on purpose... a bit of payback for ME having disappeared on her all those years ago. I love the girl, dearly, but she has always had a temper, and a verra long memory when it comes to revenge.”

“Gene, you know Lacie’s not like that. True, she can be... a bit slow to forgive, at times,” she said, looking away. “But you are the most important thing in her life... you and those twins she’s carrying. If there is a chance in hell that she can escape whatever trap she’s caught in, believe me, she will.” She sighed. “Still, I thought for sure she’d at least have found a way to reach out to us by now... to at least give us a sign that she’s alive and well. I—” Suddenly, Eva’s eyes widened, nearly bugging out. She jumped to her feet, glancing around the room. “What the bloody hell? Eugene! Did you... do you FEEL that?”

“What? Feel what?” the Scotsman said, glancing around. “What’s going on?”

“It’s HER!” Eva said, resoundly. “She’s here. RIGHT here, right now! In this bloody room! I can feel her... so close I feel like I could almost just reach out and touch her! WAIT! Lacie! NO! Don’t go! Don’t... oh Goddess... she’s gone!”

“Eva,” Gene said slowly. “I know how tired ye are, lass. Maybe...”

“No, Gene,” Eva said, refusing to listen. “She was HERE. Whatever she is involved in, whatever has happened to her, her spirit, her essence... it was right here in this room! She touched me... made physical contact with me... and when she did, my psychic senses locked on to her.” She sighed. “It’s weird. It was kind of like... like she was Astral Projecting, but unable to fully materialize her spirit.” She sighed. “I dunno. I can’t explain it. All that I know is that Lacie is alive and well, and somewhere in this vicinity!”

“So, you’re not leaving then?” Gene asked, hopefully.

Eva shook her head, a new look of determination on her features. “Not on your life. She reached out to me just now, Gene, and like you, I refused to abandon her if there’s the slightest chance we can save her...”

I emerged from the Well once more with a gasp. I shuddered, and not from the cold. The other girls were nowhere close by, obviously not expecting me to emerge again so soon after having entered. I hugged myself tightly, feeling like I wanted to curl into a ball and cry. Eva. And Eugene. I knew them, knew them both, their faces, their voices, their touches, their scents. They were from my other life... my life before coming Home. A life which even now remained a stubborn blank in my mind. Everything from before Grandmother’s visit was gone. Grandmother’s visit...

“So. You’re starting to realize what happened to you?” Gertruda said from behind, startling me. She smiled sidelong. “I guess you were right after all. When all else fails, the only real way is to follow your heart.”

“Gertruda,” I said, fighting the urge to sob. “Grandmother... she did something to me when she brought me here... she took away my past!”

Gertruda nodded. “That is what she does. Urd’s descendant controls the past, just as I control the future, and you control the here and now. She is unable to alter your Destiny, Lacie... your thread cannot be altered by any of us, but Vurda was still able to tweak your destiny slightly by removing all memory of your past, and giving you a new purpose.” She sighed bitterly. “Granny Urdrea did the same to Vurda and I long ago, to ensure our loyalty and sense of purpose to the family. Not that I regret finding my Sisters and discovering my heritage, mind you... I could NEVER regret what I’ve gained. I only resent the fact that I had to lose my past in order to gain my future.”

I nodded softly. “You’re... a lot older than you look, aren’t you, Gertruda?”

She smiled. “If you bothered to count up the years since my birth, I’m three hundred and twenty-six years old,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’m actually two years OLDER than Vurda, despite my size. I, however, have spent all of my time here at Home, while she has left from time to time, in order to find willing partners to mate with.” She chuckled softly. “It may sound kind of coarse, but her main duty is to serve as a breeder. Not every descendant of our bloodline bears true, and the more progeny there are, the more likely the chance of someone being born with the Gift” She sighed. “To be fair, Vurda wasn’t always as... goal-oriented as she is now. As the Chosen One of Urd’s bloodline, she had to contend with Granny Urdrea as her teacher and mentor.”

“Does that mean... I won’t grow any older if I stay here?” I asked suddenly. “Time doesn’t work the same here as it does outside of Home, does it?”

Gertruda nodded. “No, you won’t. You’ll stay just as young and vital as you are right now. Not only will you not age anymore, your unborn babies will not finish their development.” She gestured to my stomach, rubbing it gently. “Twins. A boy and a girl. Their life threads have already been created, but as long as you remain here, they will never even have the chance to live. Theirs, as much as yours, are the futures that I have so agonized over these past several weeks. There wasn’t much I could do, anyway... my domain is the future, but for there to even BE a future, you, my Sister, must find a way to pierce the veil that was placed over you.”

I nodded softly, leaning forward to kiss her gently. “Thank you for telling me,” I said sincerely. She nodded, again looking both sad and resigned. I finally figured out what was causing it. “I will find a way to regain my past, if I return to the well, won’t I?” She nodded, a single tear beginning to fall. “And when I do, I’ll be able to leave Home again, won’t I?” Again, she nodded. “Then don’t cry, Little Sister,” I said, pulling her tight against me. “You, more than anyone, know the future. I’ll come back again, one day, even if I’m a little old lady by then.”

She shook her head. “It won’t be terribly long,” she said forcing a smile. “Besides, having been blessed in the waters of Urdarbrunnr, you will age very very slowly compared to all of those around you, even away from Home. A deep part of the magic of this place is infused with you now, Lacie. Never forget who you are, and where you come from.” With one last gentle kiss, she turned and walked away.

I dove back into the Well once more, this time with a new purpose. I let myself drift, let myself connect to everyone and everything, then I focused my gaze inward. My life thread shone bright as a beacon, and as unyielding as a mountain. No matter which way I approached it, my fate was bound to Home, and to my destiny as a Fatespinner. Without a past, I couldn’t affect my present, and unless I could alter my own present, my babies had no future...

But,,, they DID have a present. Even unborn, still inside my womb, they both had life threads of their own. I had to look very very closely to see them, but they were there. They were tied to me, a part of me, yet separate. Accessible. And as I began tugging their threads towards a different fate that the one I was slated, slowly but surely did my OWN thread began to move as well...

“I’m leaving,” I said without fanfare.

My Sisters all stopped their conversations, glancing up at me at my announcement, surprise and shock evident on their faces. Gina, and Isabella, in particular looked hurt, but I forced myself not to show my remorse. “I’m leaving,” I said again, forcing myself to meet all of their eyes. “I love and care for you all, very very much... but I don’t belong here. Not... right now. I need to leave Home. I need to go back out there, back to the real world, where I’m truly needed.”

“You are needed here, child,” Vurda said, disapprovingly, stepping forward. “You have a duty and a responsibility to your family. To us!”

“You’re right, Grandmother,” I said softly, turning to face her. “I do have a responsibility to my family. And you tried to rob me of it... by robbing me of my past memories. You are all a part of my family... but you’re not my OWN family. I have a life outside of Home. I have a husband... and friends, and a city that needs protecting. And I have two children growing inside me that will never even be BORN if I stay here!” I shook my head. “As hard as it is to leave you all, I have to go. I have to leave!”

“You... ungrateful whelp!” Vurda hissed, hands clenching into fists at her side. “How DARE you turn your back on us this way? You stand there and talk about how HARD it is for you to leave, how you have a responsibility to your OTHER family. THIS is your family, girl!” Vurda screamed, eyes beginning to glow red. “And I’ll not let you destroy this family by leaving, now that we’ve finally brought you Home!”

I felt the tingling of her power flowing over me, as it had before. The difference, however, was that this time I was ready for her. “Sorry, Grandmother,” I said loudly, my own eyes and hands glowing with a golden light, “but you’ve broken the covenant. You tried to change my fate, to change it to what YOU wanted it to be, when you brought me here. And we are ALL forbidden from altering the fate threads of the Chosen Ones, or ourselves.” With a gesture of my hand, the power pressing down on me dissipated, and Vurda gasped with surprise, nearly stumbling.

“Wh... ho... How?” she asked, fear showing on her face for the first time. “How are you doing this? And... how did you break my geas? You shouldn’t have been able to alter your fate from the one I’ve given you! It is impossible!”

“You’re right. Changing my own destiny was impossible. But I could change the fate of my two children. In altering their present, I changed my own, and undid your tampering. Leaving here is the only way they will have a chance to grow up, so that is what I’m doing.” I turned away from her, walking towards the edge of the forest. “Don’t try and stop me, Grandmother. When you subdued me before, I was untrained, and unsure, but now I’m your equal, in power and in skill. Please... just let me leave in peace.”

About halfway to the barrier between Home and the real world, I felt her preparing to strike at me again. “You will NEVER leave!” she thundered, as a storm of scarlet lightning bolts struck down towards me. I’d half expected it, though I’d hoped she would simply accept my leaving. I closed my eyes, opening my inner sight, and let my awareness flow out of me. I was Verdandi’s Descendant, the carrier of Her Legacy, and I would be damned if I was going to let a vengeful, bitter old HAG bend me to her will again, even if she was of the same blood. I saw the thread of power that she had tweaked in summoning forth her volley, saw the connections that lead towards me as her target, and pulled, tweaking them with MY will. The mystic bolts crashed all around me, kicking up dust and sand, but not a one struck me. I whirled around, anger showing on my face, as the same golden glow from before suffused my naked body. I even lifted a few feet off the ground as my power continued to build, and build, and suddenly fear was evident, not only on Vurda’s face, but also on the faces of my beloved Sisters as well.

“Grandmother, you have brought this upon yourself,” I said solemnly, entrapping her in a series of golden bands. She struggled, much the way I had back when she’s trapped me the same way in the hospital that night long ago. “There are many things I could do to you for attacking me this way. By the covenant which you have now broken twice, I would be completely justified with any punishment I chose to bestow on you, even taking your life.” I shook my head. “But... I won’t. You deserve to be punished, to be taught your own place in the grand scheme of things, but despite what you’ve done, I don’t want to hurt you. So... I will it that for the next year you will be locked in a perpetual state of sexual lust and need, always on the brim, but never able to cross over. You will serve my Sisters as their sexual plaything, anytime they wish it, and will suffer alone in your unyielding need when they choose not to.” I tugged the web of threads surrounding her and pulled tight, binding her within my spell. The red faded from her eyes, replaced by a flash of gold. Vurda gasped as I turned to walk away, slipping to her knees, spreading her legs wide as her hand slid immediately between them.

“You did well,” Gertruda said from behind me, as I paused. “In every sense of the word. You asserted yourself, and showed everyone, including me, that you are truly the successor to Verdandi’s Legacy. The punishment you gave Vurda was fair and just.” She smirked. “Frankly, I would have been a lot less lenient than you were.”

I shrugged. “She did what she thought was right for the good of the family. Even if I don’t particularly agree with her methods, I can’t find fault in her judgment. I just feel like I can do more good out there in the THAT world,” I said, gesturing to the woods, “than here at Home. Besides... I can’t bring myself to hate her, despite all that she’s done. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have met you... and my Sisters.”

“Be well, Big Sister,” Gertruda said formally, waving to me one last time.

“Be well, Little Sister,” I replied back, before turning to cross the Veil...

“Okay,” Gene said, sliding his watch on his wrist. “We’re agreed. We’re starting back in Oslo, and spiraling out to all the surrounding towns, which we can hopefully cover in about a week. Then we head east, towards Lorenskog, where we split up. I’ll go north, while you and Mel continue east.” He tossed her a set of small receiver units. “These have been configured to my satellite’s frequency, so we will be able to communicate no matter the terrain.”

“Checking in daily, as before?” Eva asked, sliding the Bluetooth transmitter behind her right ear.

“Aye, at least, sooner if you manage to find something.” He slipped his own unit behind his ear. “Well... guess we’re ready.”

“Looks like. Just let me go grab my sleeping secretary and...” Eva began, then froze, turning to face the far wall. “Gene! Look!”

As he turned towards the far wall, a soft pale light began to shine through the surface of the wall. A soft pale hand slowly formed in midair—my hand, as I reached out to them. Slowly, very slowly, I pushed my way through the Veil, re-entering the mortal world once more little by little, piece by piece, until, finally, with an audible pop, I was through. I stumbled slightly, feeling strangely heavy and clumsy after so long at Home. I opened my eyes and saw the shocked faces of my husband and best friend, staring at me. I waved sheepishly, then shrugged.

“Hi, honey. I’m home?” I said lamely, leaning forward to kiss Eva gently on the lips, then moving to kiss Gene as well.

“Lacie!” Gene sputtered, hugging me tight enough to almost knock the breath out of me. “Loveling! Is it really you? What happened? Where were you? We’ve been searching for you for nearly forever!”

“And how did you get here?” Eva asked, still stunned. “You just... appeared... out of the wall. And we’re up on the third floor...”

I smiled softly, then sighed, feeling as if all of my strength had drained out of me. “It’s a long story, my loves,” I said wearily. “I promise, I’ll tell you both everything that happened...” as dark spots began to grow around the edges of my vision, “...but first... I think I need... to take a little nap...” At which point the floor underneath my feet suddenly dropped, and I fell headfirst into unconsciousness.