*THERE IS A STORY BELOW THE DESCRIPTION*

Sometimes I get a vision of something that I want and it just never goes away.

I had an idea for a snake Sultan for the longest time, yet felt that it might be a little too redundant given that Kyra Ab'Hawim and her narrative existed. I denied the idea for a large amount of time until it just popped out furiously and would not let go. It was a story that wanted to be told, eager in its energy to be written down and I relented, going on to put a pic for it as I went to a regular of mine, Gameboyred.

I merely said the most basic version of my idea, hoping that he'd do something splendid with it and he truly did. The opulence, the orientalist version of the Sultan and his two dancers was very good, showcasing enthusiasm and sexiness in equal display, a cartoon-like rendition which had a lot of charm to it. Seeing this gave me all the motivation and inspiration I needed to go forth a write a tale for it, freeing myself from the idea as it just poured out from my mind to my fingers on my keyboard...and I'm rather happy with it.

Before going to the story, I will of course say that Gameboyred is open for commission and you can find their prices here: https://www.deviantart.com/gameboyr.....gain-836664696

I will declare that I have a Patreon, which I suggest to check out as there's some stuff in it which can be found nowhere else...for free too! https://www.patreon.com/incredibleintruder

And then I will say no more and let you enjoy the story. ;)

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THE OFFER OF THE SNAKE SULTAN

How could they live under such warmth?


Gaspard couldn't quite understand this as he moved through the palace halls, even the protection of a roof being barely able to suppress the heat which subsided in the slithering region of the Endless Dunes, where the Hiss people resided. They were a rich people, great in the mercantile domains, trade being their business as opposed to the more warlike occupations of some of their neighbors. They had numerous allies, treaties and pacts signed as they dealt with almost everybody...but beside a local militia and some guards here to enforce the law more than anything else, they didn't have too much strength...And that's why he was here.


He had been an adventurer once, then a mercenary working for the right pay, his current position being the latter. He had experience, might and was wise to the way of bandits and monsters, which was why he had accepted a contract straight from Hissmodius, the Sultan of Scales. He had to recover a stolen artifact, something apparently priceless, from the clutches of a group of raiders which had assailed the palace itself. The local forces were no match for these pillaging brutes and as such it fell to him to bring it all back. Riches and all that he could want were promised to him and that was enough for Gaspard to take the job, knowing full-well that Hissmodius had the means to fulfill his end of the bargain. For civilians and untrained fighters it would have been an impossible task...but for him it was Tuesday as he walked down the halls, accompanied by guards as he had the artifact safely with him, ready to be given back to its rightful owner.


Escorted to the throne room, the guards announced his presence as the sound of music, a melody of flute and drums filled the air. By the looks of it, the Sultan was enjoying quite a show as two dancers strutted and swayed their stuff for him. As he was dressed extravagantly, with a turban and ample vestments with jewelry and silk, they were dressed with similar materials, yet in the opposite as they revealed their body near-completely. One was of purple scales, wearing a red top and gold lining made of small chains and coins, while the other was a light orange, wearing white and gold. Both had long serpentine necks and showed off their cleavage, their abdomen, their legs in a fashion which was rather splendid as even though they were of a different species altogether, Gaspard had to admit that they were striking, especially with their ample and fluid motions. He had heard the term serpentine being applied to fluid and sensual dancing, yet now he knew why as those two were decidedly out-of-this-world when it came to their beautiful performance.


Hissmodius, drinking some wine, finally realized that the mercenary he had hired had come back as he clapped his hands, making the music stop and his two dancers come to his side as he had a pleasant smile on his face. “Ah, the great hero returns, with something of mine if I am not mistaken?” he asked playfully, looking at what Gaspard had indeed taken back for him, a chalice with a serpent motif all-around, with gemstones the size of his pinkie. “This is the goblet of the serpent...A funny name, I know given that it's a chalice, but I did not give it the nomenclature myself you must understand. It is something sacred and powerful and to have lost it forever would have been a tragedy. Thank you for recovering it...How can we ever repay you for you good deed today?”


“You can start by giving me the amount that was promised, Hissmodius,” Gaspard said, giving the chalice to a court attendant who claimed it and then went away, undoubtedly to polish it or to put it back where it was supposed to be. Meanwhile, Gaspard looked at the Sultan, occasionally darting his eyes to the two dancers as he was the center of attention now...yet he was also in the palace of someone important, one with connections. He was used to being on the road, to move from place to place and such a palace was certainly different as he felt slightly uncomfortable, though he dared not show it.


“A direct response, I see. But of course you will be paid the right amount, my friend. That goes without saying!” Hissmodius said, a laughter filled with hisses escaping from his long throat as his green hood waved slightly, the Sultan being more akin to a cobra in terms of appearances with his green scales. He clapped his hands again, this wordless message somehow carrying significance once more as someone came in with a literal platter upon which rested jewels and gems the size of Gaspard's fist. “Take it all as payment as I've added a little bonus as well...But I am nothing if not generous and I was actually trying to push forth a little addition to it all...What would please you, noble hero of Sintgrad? Adventurer of the depths?”


Gaspard looked at the Sultan with a slightly hesitant expression as he hadn't heard those titles in a long, long while. He had earned them from his adventuring career, exploring dungeons and unveiling conspiracies before he decided to take smaller jobs for his sake, the thirst for exploration and for untold danger being more than sated for a dozen lifetime within him. “I see you have made your research.”


“Naturally. It is no accident that I came to you for this, Gaspard Duchevalier. You were my first choice and I knew you were for hire...and you did not disappoint in the slightest!” Hissmodius said, his enthusiasm quite clear as if he were a fan of Gaspard's work. He hissed in laughter again, his forked tongue and his sharp teeth making the Sultan look almost threatening despite his obvious good mood as he drank some more wine before resuming what he was about to say. “So for your exploits, your accomplishment, allow the Hiss people to show you all courtesies and allow you to have the very best evening of your entire life!”


This was almost kind in a way, yet Gaspard could see that while the Sultan did like to be entertained and to party, his closest entourage being a very apt demonstration of this, he also knew that this was a place of merchants, of trade, and he was the ruler of such beings. “Could I presume you have perhaps another contract for me?” he asked directly, never quite seeing the point in flowery language or too much subtlety, prefering to put the point across as fast as possible.


“How astute of you...Yes, I do have something to offer, to ask of you. A very considerable job with a reward so big that no one could ever refuse it,” Hissmodius said, trying to calm himself down yet the smirk on his face betrayed his eagerness as the two dancers looked at him, then at each other and chuckled softly while smiling. They were in on it apparently and that made Gaspard curious. “I want you to be my personal champion, a permanent hero for this town...and I will pay any price for that.”


This was not the first time he had been given such an offer and while he did not doubt that Hissmodius could deliver on the payment front, it was also contrary to his ever-traveling nature to stay in place for too long. Beside, it was too hot in here and he'd go crazy just by the heat alone. He had, however, to be diplomatic in his refusal as he couldn't exactly offend someone like Hissmodius, a generous and well-paying client of his. Before he went on to respond, Hissmodius spoke anew as he lifted one hand, a gesture that demanded he speaks first.


“I know, I know...It's a big decision, one that might not suit you very well...You say you are a mercenary, but you go from place to place as if the adventurer in you was still alive and kicking...It's a dilemma,” Hissmodius said, showing a certain wisdom and a potent kind of analysis to him as his expression changed to a more savvy one, as if he knew exactly how right he was. “But let us wait for your response tomorrow. For now, I want you to enjoy my hospitality and taste of what wonders I can offer you within these halls.”


He clapped his hands again and the music started anew, the two dancers coming near him as they each gently latched to one of his arms and escorted him toward Hissmodius. They released him as the Sultan himself silently offered a seat by his side and by then the two snake women resumed what they had been doing before all of this had come to pass: they danced. This time, however, Gaspard was not just a passerby by a spectator and the view was very different from his position. He had seen performers such as them in his life, sensuous and beautiful entertainers who could sway their body to the sound of melodies and tunes, sending dreams and fantasies for their audience to marvel in. Elves, tieflings and a plethora of other races and species had their own viewpoint on dancing and its mystical, alluring and near-divine qualities. It could all be seen in the way they performed and by the looks of it the Hiss people had one philosophy when it came to their practice of it: fun.


Their smile, their teasing attitude, how quickly they changed stance and used accessories like long veils, staffs and swords made it so they couldn't stay in place for too long as their sinuous body could bend and undulate in such ways that very few could rival. He had seen grace and fluidity in many bodies, spent the night with some beauties that were worthy of tales and yet those two serpentine dancers seemed worthy of many stories indeed. He had never been in the company of such scaled individuals before, but seeing them at work made him rather curious to try it out. They exchanged glances with him, sending him winks and sultry smiles as they knew the effect they had on him and it was all part of the exchange. A little hip gyration sent his way, then a twirl to show their backside and shimmies while they looked backward, their own satisfaction just as important as his in a way...and Hissmodius was thankfully silent for a good part of it, yet he was not one to stay like this for too long as he whispered in his raspy tone, trying to not be too loud.


“They are magnificent, are they not? They practice every day, training to be nubile and voluptuous so as to be the best they could ever be...Aren't they simply so beautiful that you can't even stop looking at them?” Hissmodius said, his voice lower yet still clear to Gaspard's ears due to his proximity. As he spoke, one of the dancers, the purple-scaled one, got much closer as she towered over Gaspard and Hissmodius, looking down with a pleased expression as she went on to slightly push her midriff and waist forward, that part of her being at eye-level with her two spectators. “Well indulge in it all you want...Stare deeply, ogle them...It's all for you and you can see they love it as much as you do...So focus your gaze on them...”


It seemed like a very good idea as there was indeed a complicity which was building up between this one dancer and him as her forked tongue darted out at time while she looked down. Her loveliness and the way her scales seemed to almost shine made it very easy to just look at her...but then her underbelly scales, which were more cream-colored, began to shift slightly in colors, not one scale being the same until it formed a kaleidoscope of ever-changing shades with her navel at its epicenter. Uncertain how she did it, the display nevertheless fascinated Gaspard as it seemed to expand and retract, to spin and swirl, to never quite stay the same with her belly button being the only constant in this. Was it the colors who were never staying in place or was it her abdomen, her undulations, sways, stretches and bobbing only adding to the near-psychedelic aspect of this sumptuous and almost intimate performance.


“Watch the colors...Look at the dance...”


He thought he heard a voice, yet it was so faint that he barely could hear it. There were multiple hisses...or was it the sound of a tambourine? Either way, it meshed with the music very well as Gaspard leaned forward without truly becoming aware of it, the dance only growing in its appeal as the kaleidoscope pulled his gaze in, entrapping his focus on the smooth and scaled surface showcasing an ever-evolving rainbow along with an exotic sensuality to his senses.


“So sumptuous...So easy to stare at...”


Again the voice, yet it seemed ethereal...and there were two tones? One masculine and the other feminine, as if two people spoke in unison...But they were almost drowned not just by the music but by the concentration that Gaspard had upon those hips. They bumped and rotated, making that belly move backward and forward in slow circles which seemed to change his own weight distribution, as if he was attached by unseen strings to the midriff of that dancer. Then, a second one arrived as the dancer in light orange scales joined in and soon she copied the motions of the purple-scaled one, their motions identical as if they were but one dancer.


“Can't help but stare...So charmed and seduced by these motions...”


There was a trio of voice now, each speaking in their own tone yet also together. But they were right as it was a very unique experience as Gaspard never quite realized how light his head was, how weightless his entire body felt as soon the kaleidoscope of colors was reproduced on the second midriff which spun and undulate before his eyes. The shifting shades, the soft-looking abdomen of those two dancers were lovely to behold and as his attention split in two his mind merged the sight as those two colorful effects seemed to produce an unique kind of vision: that of two slithered eyes spinning with colors. It was akin to a powerful, potent and seductive stare which was also a dance, a truly fantastical and almost unbelievable effect, yet one which he couldn't help but lock his gaze onto. It was impossible to deny the awe-inducing and very arousing display of skills and magic which was offered to him at this point.


“So relaxing, so amazing...You want to stare at them forever...”


He barely heard that one, the echo of a whisper reverberating in his skull and across the room as the melody rocked him just as much as these performance. He was floating on top of notes and accentuation of hips and stomach, the two navels so in synch with one another that all particular details unrelated to the dancers faded into nothingness, swallowed by pigmentation, shades and luminous colors which drew him further and further in. It was blissful and transcendental and he couldn't help but want more and more, a smile creeping up on his face as, unbeknownst to him, his eyes reflected all those colors as he fell under a deep trance which was gradually growing all the more enticing and powerful.


“Just let your worries and thoughts go away for a moment...Indulge all you want in this ecstasy...”


He knew not how long this had been going on and it didn't even matter. All thoughts unrelated to what he saw right now popped in for a few seconds only to be dissolved away. The hisses...or was it tambourine sounds...kept ongoing, carrying secret meanings which he couldn't decipher yet their sound was absolutely sweet to his ears and to his spirit as the serpent gaze dance was getting slowly faster just like the music. The rotations of their hips grew smaller as the eyes on their midriff seemed to flare up slightly, drawing him in closer and closer still until it was as if his own soul had been projected further. It was an intense experience, one filling him with a certain appeasement, a tranquility and peace which was unparalleled until eventually... Hissmodeus clapped his hands.


“A wonderful performance, wouldn't you agree?” the serpentine Sultan said, applauding his dancers in an enthusiastic manner as he finished his wine, using his forked tongue to go forth and lap the last few drops. “It seems like you were very into it, from what I can see!”


Gaspard felt a little groggy right now, as if he had drank more than his fill of alcohol...yet it was not pain which accompanied him, nor was it soreness, but rather disappointment. Was it already over? Had it actually happened? Had it been the heat which caused him to hallucinate? Many questions manifested themselves, yet ultimately they were set aside for now as he saw that both dancers were looking at him with the most gorgeous and seductive smile he had ever witnessed on their face. The fact that were of scale, of a different species, mattered not as they were both the most lovely of creatures he had ever gazed upon.


“Oh oh! I can see in your eyes that you have fallen hard for these two...But let me tell you a secret, my friend...All of my wives are of equal loveliness...” Hissmodeus said in half-a-whisper, loud enough for those two dancers to hear him, causing them to giggle lightly. “If you like Sheyla and Safra so much...Perhaps a visit to my harem would be what you desire? It is forbidden for most...but I could make an exception for one who has recovered such a precious artifact for me...What do you say...Do you want to enter a lovely garden filled with the most pristine, delicate and pretty flowers in all of existence?”


It was an incredibly tempting offer, one that Gaspard couldn't rightfully refuse after having spent such an amazing moment. He wasn't quite thinking clearly, that much was obvious, but as he thought to perhaps leave he looked through a large window to the side and witnessed that it was getting dark, far too much to travel right now as while the desert was hot during the day, it was glacial at night. Succumbing to his desire, he tried to keep his composure as he answered back. “I do admit being curious as to your statement, Hissmodeus. I accept your offer, if only to verify your claim.”


“Of course...of course...” Hissmodeus replied, wise enough to realize when someone tried to be less eager than they truly were. He clapped his hands and then both Sheyla and Safra, the purple and light orange one, bent and grasped Gaspard's arm, latching onto them as they guided him toward a veiled door behind the small throne-like receptacle upon with the Sultan sat. “We shall speak of my offer in the morning. For now, enjoy yourself...and let my many wives guide you to the absolute peak of ecstasy and relaxation, my friend!”


And with that Gaspard went through the door, escorted by those two lovely and exotic beauties as while they were cold-blooded and the night was chilly in the Endless Dunes, their warmth and his growing heat was more than enough to circumvent any discomfort. Moving through silk drapes and veils which were there to obstruct the view, he was then indeed greeted by a vision of utter loveliness, a paradise hidden inside an opulent palace as there were many other women like Sheyla and Safra, a cavalcade of colored scales and curves which might delight just about anyone due to the incredible view of fantasies and sensuality put on display. All looked at him with a curious expression, adjusting their seated position on their cushion, exhaling sweet smoke from the hookas as Sheyla spoke for her husband.


“He is a very prized guest and the Sultan wants us to pamper him...So let us give him the royal treatment~”


And with that they all understood, their confusion changing to complicity, eagerness and quiet fiery gaze as they all stood and got closer to him. The smell of perfume, of incense filled his nostrils as even though Gaspard had fought trolls, an hydra and even a dragon back in his days he felt like he was weak and helpless before all these women as they removed his vestments and began to wash him, moving him toward a tub filled with crystalline, yet hot water as they spent company with him. Guided, he didn't know how to act or how to respond as many hisses could be heard in the air, forming its own special kind of music as many tones and distinctive sounds were formed out of this serpentine melody...And hearing it made him think of that dance which was also a serpent's gaze as well. It was the same effect, a reminiscence of but a few minutes...or was it a few hours...ago. A hookah was brought to him, the tip of a pipe connected to a long tube was inserted in one of the snake-women's lips as she inhaled and exhaled its content in his direction and then handed the very same pipe to him, approaching it to his lips.


“Smoke...Enjoy yourself...Be at ease in our midst~”


He didn't quite know who said that. They were so numerous and he didn't know where to look as he did as he was told and then inhaled the sweet-smoke, its scent still lingering in his nose from the little mist which clung on to him as blown by the harem girl offering this to him. It was intoxicating, its aroma so mysterious and yet addictive that he couldn't help but machinally inhale and exhale, partaking in the hookah as the hisses continued, its melody enchanting in a way that made his head feel very light...And then two of the Sultan's wives approached close to the bath built in the very floor, towering over all inside it as they danced...and those eyes returned.


“Just let us take care of everything...No need to do anything but be pampered~”


It was anathema to him to just drop his guard, yet the way they said it, how he felt right now made it the most easiest thing in the world. He felt somewhat limp, the nearby presence of those women, the hot water, the smoke and the simulacrum of music through hisses made this a particularly peaceful and arousing experience and it was only heightened by the dance offered to him...one that demanded he watch as he instinctively latched his gaze upon those two dancers. One was of deep blue scales and the other a light pink...yet it was their midriff which drew his gaze instantly, his eyes locked on those simulated eyes filled with colors.


“Drift away slowly and surely...Relax...Listen to our hisses and voices and feel yourself go further and further into ecstasy~”


And he did. There was something about how they spoke, how their touch made him feel happy and content in a way that he couldn't quite comprehend, which made him accept all of this anyway. Yes, he was in good company, the best in fact, as he felt his muscles slackens as his eyes reflected those colors. He no longer held the pipe, slipping through his fingers now yet it was caught by one of the many lovely beauties nearby as she placed it upon his lips and he just reacted by smoking more, the hot yet flavorful smoke filling his lungs and brain.


“The Sultan is so generous, so amazing...Being in his company is a benediction, a true blessing...”


And by now Gaspard felt that he lost track of many things, yet the essential was there for him to understand as his mind was almost shut off. His brain was turned off save for the essentials which were dictated to him. The dance, the eyes of the serpent whose undulations and sways made him feel exponentially good...The smoke, which calmed and soothed him, heightening his senses which were needed while shutting out all that wasn't...The many wives themselves, the sheer idea that they surrounded him making him feel extremely lucky...And the hisses, the soft music which scrambled his brain and which seemed to echo everywhere, resonating as if a great and large serpent, a singular one, was looking at him in a friendly and reassuring way...


“You want to be his friend...He is so charming, so magnificent...”


And yet through all that he heard voices, yet they were originating from different places, had different tones. They rang through his head, yet were almost entirely forgotten the more he saw the dance and indulged in the rest. This was the apex of pleasure, the top in what could be called relaxation and rest. Gaspard felt immensely lucky, blessed to the extreme as he couldn't help but be thankful, sensing how wise and generous Hissmodeus had been to give him such an opportunity. His wives were so lovely, so charming that being in their company was pleasant enough...and yet they shared his generous trait by giving him a treatment that he felt he didn't deserve.


“Fall into a deep trance...Become ours to play with~”


His comprehension and perception were both twisted as a large part of him never heard this sentence...yet a hidden and easily manipulated part of him did and it registered this at its core. He was a puddle of spiraling thoughts, of colors centered around dancing, a cloud of mist...and he was Gaspard as well...But what was more important right now was that he was the Sultan's guest. This was a gift, something to partake in as much as he wanted...These sensations were due to the benevolence of Hissmodeus and because of the expertise of his wives. Without them, none of this would have come to pass.


“You are under our sexy power...At our mercy~”


He was hyper-focused on the dancing right now, both seeing those bellies rolling, those hips swaying, swishing and shimmying and those waist spinning into figure-eights and pendulum-motions. The two dancers were in synch with one another, yet they seemed to be pulsating in rhythm with the hisses, the colors hyper-expanding, exploding to fill the room and yet their silhouette never faded even while the effect of that intense and hypnotic gaze was kept ongoing.


“You are being hypnotized...In our complete control~”


The smoke was sweet and yet bitter, the two tastes never merging, creating a spiral on his taste buds and in his mind as one simply couldn't be appreciated without the other. The pipe was placed on his lips, some light amount of drool escaping from them yet it was also kept in place by one of the harem girls whose touch on his shoulder kept him somewhat anchored while everything was spinning, beautiful and incomprehensible. His throat was ablaze, but in a pleasant way as the warmth of the hookah kept him hot.


“Your mind is growing blank...Ready to be reshaped by our own will and that of the Sultan...”


The hisses were a secret spilled onto him, a language which he didn't understand yet he caught glimpses of it nevertheless. His mind was open, even more than his ears and eyes as within these sounds could be heard hidden suggestions, commands and thoughts which slipped in, installing themselves in seductive and mighty ways so as to remove any anxiety, any doubts, shoving them all aside for the certainty they offered.


“Let us all slither into your thoughts...Let the sway of our body, of our voice and our very selves instill deep desire within...To obey~”


Before he could even do or say anything, Gaspard was then bit by one of the wives, her fangs penetrating the flesh of his shoulder as it caused for a very small moment of pain which almost woke him up...yet the following ecstasy made him almost melt on the spot. Some liquid nirvana was flowing through him, lighting up his veins with an energy and eagerness which spread everywhere to his body and mind as his eyes opened up widely and his mind even more so.


“Our venom will fill you...Invade you...Instill you with a need, a craving for more...Let it happen and do not resist~”


This singular bite was followed by another...and then another as each time the pain was reduced and the bliss only grew as he felt himself fading away more and more, as if submerged into the water, caught in the unseen coils of those serpentine ladies, these unchallenged beauties, mistresses of seduction and temptation as the last thing he saw was that dance-which-was-also-a-gaze...


“And now we will rewrite you...and you will not remember any of it~”


...


Gaspard woke up in his quarters the next morning.


He felt refreshed, having recuperated in a way which very few restful nights could compare to. He remembered that sublime night spent in the company of the many wives of the great Sultan Hissmodeus as a very faint blush could be seen on his face. It was unlike him to be overtaken by such sentiments, yet it had been so pleasurable, so amazing and memorable that it was hard to deny how grateful he was for it. A knock on his door lightly startled him as he was caught in remembrance of this unique experience as a guard came to him, summoning him for breakfast with the Sultan himself. Getting dressed and following him, he was then brought to a room upon which a very long table, one close to the ground and surrounded by a great amount of cushions, could be seen. At the very far end of it could be found the Sultan himself and on the side could be found all of his wives, each getting ready to partake in fruit, bread and eggs in a copious amount. Seeing Gaspard arrive, the Sultan waved at him and then patted a cushion just beside him as Gaspard saw this as a sign to sit just next to the ruler of this very fine city, an invitation he accepted.


“I've been told that my wives loved spending time with you...Should I be jealous, I wonder?” Hissmodeus said, gulping down an egg in swift motion as he chuckled and hissed while looking at Gaspard. “I will emulate you and be direct...Have you thought about my offer to become my champion?”


“Stare deeply into the eyes of your benefactor...Lock your gaze on that of Hissmodeus when he speaks to you.”


A voice rang in his head, a suggestion so potent and irresistible that he couldn't quite refuse it as Gaspard looked directly into the eyes of the snake Sultan...and saw a great many things within them. Within a kaleidoscope of colors, one which reminded him of those mesmerizing and captivating dances, could be found charisma, power, authority, confidence even...It was intimidating yet also impressive.


“You will listen to his words and agree with them...You have a lot to learn from the kindness of Hissmodeus.”


“You could be very rich, happy and have a fulfilling life at my service, you know? You'd be employed and shower in my generosity much more often,” Hissmodeus said, moving forward just a smidge as he then swayed his head from side to side, colors filling his stare as he locked it upon Gaspard, hissing occasionally. “You're filled with gratitude for me...aren't you? And you want to repay me in any way you can, yes?”


“He is more than worthy of your servitude, of your devotion...Submit to the great Sultan...Become his protector and benefactor.”


The swaying and those eyes made him remember not just the dance, faint illusions of his wives performing so hypnotically appearing in an ethereal way, but everything connected to it. The scent of the hookah, the venom which coursed through his veins. Memories of that sweet surrender to their actions and attention permeated him, making him tremble yet he was anchored by the near-divine stare of the Sultan.


“Becomes ours...Become his...And obey~”


“I...I would love nothing more, m-my...” Gaspard began to answer, a little hesitant as he was overwhelmed by all of this, yet the more he stared at the Sultan's gaze...his Sultan...the easier it was to agree to what he felt. These voices were not invasive, but rather they were his thoughts, his deepest desires. Yes, he had been enchanted and mesmerized by the Sultan and his many wives and he wanted to be with them, to protect them, to serve their interest now and forevermore. “I accept your employ, most generous and blessed of Sultan...My master.”


“Very good...I knew you'd come through in the end...My wives and I can be very persuasive and we know how to get what we want~” Hissmodeus said, not letting go of Gaspard's attention as his own eyes flared up even further as the Sultan moved his own forehead to that of his new champion and servant, letting his powerful hypnotic gaze grow all the more significant. “I am your Sultan now...The one you serve with all your might and will...And those are your queens...You shall obey us without question...Without hesitation...It is your sole duty and your privilege from now on...Do so and you will be rewarded very, very handsomely.”


The influence of the Sultan and his wives was too strong, too cemented as the effect of a single night within the harem changed Gaspard for good. All that he knew of the Hiss people was that they were very good at bargains, a merchant people who were very friendly, who knew just what to say and could forge alliances, pacts and treaties very easily. What he didn't know, and that very few were in the know about, were just how charming...how charismatic...how hypnotic they could turn out to be in their own right. This was their secret as Sultan Hissmodeus always got what he wanted in the end...


“Now I will allow you to spend the week within the confine of my harem...of your queens. You will obey their instructions very carefully as they will make you learn a great many things...” Hissmodeus said, finishing up his breakfast as he rose with a little smirk on his face. “They will be very gentle and considerate and, after they're done, you will be a model citizen, an exemplary servant...And absolutely mine, now and forever.”


As he exited the room, the Sultan could only hear chuckles and hisses behind him as he went for some trade arrangement with another nation. He did so love to see his wives at work, their hypnotic expertise ever being entertaining but he had things to do. Perhaps in due time he would gather more heroes...but he'd wait for Gaspard to be completely submissive and obedient before doing anything else. Just like everyone, the adventurer-turned-mercenary had learned a very important lesson, one which he would take to heart for the rest of his life.


No one can refuse an offer made by the great Sultan Hissmodeus. No one.