The crone cackled again, and with a word of the dark tongue each one of the rings violating Lauralana's flesh flared anew as if they had just pierced her body.  And as Anna worked, she continued to whisper her dark litany, draining the strength from Lauralana's body and allowing them to manipulate her<br/><br/>The warm water washed away blood and sweat and dirt.  And as it did so, it revitalized and warmed Lauralana's skin, sinking down to the weary muscles and bones within as she was unhurriedly washed and shampooed.  The result was a body weak but relaxed, pliant to the spawn and the infected human girl and trapping the elf's mind as they worked.  Anna was through and not ungentle in her washing, but the strangely blank gaze in those eyes remained as did her strange crooning.<br/><br/>Towels of soft luxurious linen dried the elf's body and hair, and then her skin was oiled with the same slow and through touches.  Only then does the other spawn lay her withered hands upon Lauralana, running them along her and smiling as she brings forth a white lacy corset to cinch the elf's already slender waist and cup and lift her breasts without concealing them.  Attached to are stockings of white lace to cover her legs, leaving only the tops of her thighs and her sex bare.  Then the gown, layered and wrapped and draped about her before slippers of what appear to be solid ivory are placed upon her feet.<br/><br/>A crown of leaves is brought forth, and to the elf's shock she can see these are indeed the leaves of a hearthtree, something that she had never thought to see beyond the secluded groves of her homeland.  The long slender golden colored leaves form a wreath that they set into her hair as they brush it out with scented combs.<br/><br/>The pair lead her then, body weak and unresponsive like some horrific nightmare out and through more of the caves to a large grotto.  It the center was the hearthtree, it's pure white bark dim and peeling as it twisted and hunched from the unclean powers of this place.  The golden leaves were brittle-looking and discolored and the apple-like fruit was scarce and sickly looking.  But for all of it's tainted nature, it was a hearthtree and a bonding spoken before it and sealed with it's fruit would hold true.