"An elf? You saw an elf? You can't be serious," Sylvia almost screamed at her friend. "Julie, what in the world are you talking about? That is absolutely nuts, saying you have seen an elf. Seriously, where did this come from?"
Julie and Sylvia were still in the changing room, wrapped in towels, recovering after their weekly work-out at the gym. Looking at them, the first thing that would have struck the casual observer would have been the dramatic contrast in their appearance - Julie was tall and slim with small neat breasts and long dark hair, whereas Sylvia was several inches shorter, a bubbly blonde with a curvaceous figure and full breasts. Despite this, they had much in common.
They had met and become best friends at university, and had been bridesmaids at each others weddings. There was nothing they didn't tell each other. They had even bought houses in the same village so they could stay close to one another.
Their friendship and taste in the same things had extended to husbands. Both had married older men who were well established, and had a high work ethic, which sounds good, if you don't care about being noticed after the honeymoon.
Neither had children yet and, at thirty-two and thirty-three, they were getting a little concerned. But with husbands that never were around or seemed uninterested in anything but work and golf, they were hesitant to even bring it up. What if this was all there was with their marriages? Would children bring them the happiness and changes in their boring lives that they so wanted?
And now, here was Julie telling the most outlandish story. "I am telling you the truth, Sylvia, do you think I expected to meet an elf? You should have seen him, talk about drop dead gorgeous. Completely different from that waste of space of a husband I am lumbered with. All he thinks about is golf, although from the shape of him, you would think he spent more time in the club bar than out on the course. And when he is home, all he does is slump in front of the TV watching Sky Sport."
In the circumstances it was hardly surprising that the topic of sex regularly cropped up in their conversations, and they often shared the most intimate secrets.
As Julie put it that morning, "When he does want sex, all he does is paw my boobs for a few minutes before climbing on top of me - a few thrusts it and is all over. Then he just rolls over and goes to sleep. He hasn't given me a decent orgasm in years, and I have to finish myself off, while he snores away beside me. Thank goodness for my little friend."
"Tell me about it," Sylvia groaned. "Pete's even worse. It's ages since he even tried make love. I get so frustrated. Can I tell you a secret? Sometimes I answer the door to the postman wearing just a robe. You should see his face when it accidentally falls open to give him a quick flash of my boobs and pussy. I get so aroused that I have to go and masturbate as soon as the door is closed, imagining that he is watching me."
Sylvia!" Julie exclaimed, "you are so naughty. I don't think I would be brave enough to do that."
"That's not all," Sylvia went on, "last week I went out into the garden to sunbathe when the man next door was cutting his lawn. I knew that he was watching me when his mower stopped, so I slipped off my bikini, and quite innocently started to apply sun tan lotion, especially on my boobs and between my legs. I was so wet, and I nearly came there and then. He may be middle aged and going grey, but he's not bad looking, and he's been on his own since his wife passed away two years ago. You know, I'm seriously tempted to invite him round for coffee one morning soon. I will wear something provocative and revealing, and make sure he gets a good look. Maybe I might even persuade him to fuck me. It would be so good to feel a nice cock inside me again, and I'm sure he must need a woman after being alone so long."
Julie was rather shocked by this, "Sylvia, you couldn't. You are married, even if Pete isn't very attentive. Think of your vows."
"It would serve him right," replied Sylvia, with a sigh, "and I bet he isn't so rude to his secretary. Perhaps he's having an affair with her, and that's why he isn't interested in me. But you're right, I did promise to love and honour him. It's just that I get so desperate."
Julie just sat in silence for several minutes, but suddenly said very quietly, "I've never been tempted to try another man, and up to now I have been satisfied with my vibrator, but I have started to wonder recently what it would be like with a woman. I mean, that wouldn't really be cheating, would it?" She leaned forward and stroked Sylvia tenderly on the cheek.
"Alright then," Sylvia said, somewhat flustered, "convince me. Tell me all about this, erm .... elf .... of yours. How did you meet him? It's not as if they are very common about here, or I think I might have noticed, especially if they're as gorgeous as you say. It would be nice to be romanced by a handsome creature once in a while. Dammit, it would be nice just to be noticed - the only figures my hubby is interested in are the ones on a balance sheet."
Julie took a deep breath and said "I knew you wouldn't believe me, I didn't believe it myself, but if you will just listen I will tell you how it happened. However, you must promise not to laugh, I'm absolutely serious, and this is not something I have made up."
Sylvia nodded and leaned forward attentively, so Julie continued with her story.
"It was a few days ago," she said. "It was such a nice spring day that I thought I would go for a walk in the woods behind our house. I just wandered without paying much attention to where I was going. Well, after about an hour I found myself in a little clearing at a junction of several paths in a part of the woods that I didn't recognise. The trees were much denser, blocking out the sky, and the paths were overgrown and quite difficult to make out. I realised I was lost, and I started to feel panicky. I knew that I couldn't stay there because it was obvious that few people came that way, but I couldn't even remember which path I had come down. I had no idea which way to go. I then started to feel frightened, and just sat down on a broken tree stump and burst into tears."
"Oh Julie, how terrible, what did you do?"
"This is the incredible bit," Julie continued, "I was sitting there with my head in my hands when I became aware of a sort of presence. One minute it wasn't there, and the next minute it was, and I felt a sort of calmness and peace. I looked round and saw this shadowy figure on the edge of the trees looking at me. Then he stepped out into full view and, although he was obviously a man, he wasn't like any man I had ever seen before. He was tall and slim, but in a muscular sort of way, and he moved with the gracefulness of an athlete. He had long blonde hair tied in a braid at the back, and his face was so beautiful, with piercing green eyes. Oh, and the stories are right, he did have pointed ears, although only slightly so, a bit like Mr Spock."
"Go on," said Sylvia, "what happened next?"
"He stepped over to my side, put a hand in my shoulder, and in a soft voice asked me if he could help me. Oh Sylvia, his voice was so soothing, like the sound of running water, or a gentle wind in the trees. I told him that I was lost, and didn't know which way to go to get back home. I felt frightened again, but he told me not to worry, I was quite safe with him. He would guide me back to the edge of the woods. 'But you don't know where I live,' I said, panicking again. He laughed, and said that he has seen me many times in the woods, and knew exactly where my house was."
"He must have been one of the wardens," said Sylvia, in a practical sort of way.
"No," replied Julie, "he didn't look anything like the wardens. To start with he was dressed in a very strange costume, a sort of long tunic and robe in a leaf green fabric that shimmered as he moved. He told me all about himself as he led me back through the woods, holding my hand so that I wouldn't stumble on any fallen branches. He said that he was a wood elf, one of the guardians of the trees, and that his name was Lithonien. He moved so swiftly and gracefully, almost as if his feet didn't touch the ground and, in no time, we were back in a part of the woods that I recognised. When we reached the edge of the trees, he lifted my hand and kissed it softly, before pushing me gently in the direction of my house. I looked back when I reached the gate, but he had vanished as quickly as he had appeared."
"Wow," exclaimed Sylvia, "that is some story. I wonder if there are more like him? Perhaps I should get lost in the woods too. It would be interesting to meet an elf, and what a story I would have to tell my other friends over coffee. They would all be very envious."
ooOoo
A few weeks went by and Julie has almost forgotten her encounter with the elf when, one morning, a couple of days before the end of June, she found a strange leaf shaped envelope on the door mat with the morning newspaper. Curious, she opened it up to find an hand written invitation in green ink on paler green paper.
Mrs Julie Barber and friend are cordially invited to join the elves of Greemwood to celebrate the summer solstice. Be at the edge of the trees at noon on the morning of the last day of the month you know as June. You will be returned home safely the following morning. Appropriate dress will be provided. Lithonien.
Julie immediately rang Sylvia. "Are you free on June 30th," she asked, without even stopping to pass the time of day. "I have been invited to an all night party to celebrate Midsummer's Day, and I can bring a friend."
"What, where, you're on, but what will we tell our husbands?" Sylvia exclaimed in a rush.
"You won't believe this, but you remember that elf I told you about? Well he has invited us to join the elves of Greemwood to celebrate the summer solstice. And we can just tell Andy and Pete that we are having a girly stopover. We don't have to say where. They won't miss us for one night, and I'm sure that they can find something to do."
"What shall I wear," said Sylvia.
"We don't have to worry about that," Julie replied, "appropriate dress will be provided, whatever that means. All we have to do is be at the edge of the trees behind my house at twelve o'clock on June thirtieth."
"Mmm, that sounds very mysterious and exciting. I wouldn't miss this for the world. I'll see you there, byeee," said Sylvia, and rang off.
ooOoo
So it was that at precisely twelve noon, Julie and Sylvia were standing on the edge of the trees behind Julie's house, both somewhat nervous, but also excited about what might be going to happen to them.
Suddenly, as if from nowhere, Lithonien was standing there, just inside the trees. He beckoned to the two women to follow him. He was dressed somewhat differently than when he had appeared to Julie the first time, in a gown of a strange diaphanous material. As he walked before them, they realised that he was wearing nothing underneath the gown, and with every step they were treated to the gracefully muscular movements of his beautifully shaped bottom.
When they had gone a hundred yards or so, and were well hidden from sight, he turned to face them. Both women gasped at the specimen of masculinity that was revealed. Not only was the elf perfectly proportioned, with well toned muscles, but he had a penis that was impressive even in its flaccid state, framed by a bush of silky blonde pubic hair.
"You may remove your clothes," the elf said, and taking two bags the colour of tree bark from the crook of a tree, continued, "you will find robes in here. Your clothes will be quite safe, and will still be here for you tomorrow morning."
Opening the bags, Julie and Sylvia found two gowns of a similar material to that the elf was wearing. While they were undressing, the elf courteously turned his back, which both thought was very touching, given that very little would be left to the imagination once they had changed into the gowns. When they were ready, Lithonien took the bags and put them back in the crook of the tree. So perfectly were they camouflaged, that after a few seconds the two women could no longer see them, try as they might.
"I'm sorry ladies," Lithonien said gravely, "but I am going to have to blindfold you now, but don't worry, I will take you by the hand so that you will be quite safe until we reach the place of the ceremony." Taking two strips of pale green silk like material, he gently bound their eyes.
After about half an hour, Lithonien announced, "We have arrived ladies, you may remove your blindfolds."
Once they had adjusted to the light, Julie and Sylvia were treated to an amazing sight. They were in a large clearing bathed in a pale green light, with many male and female elves dressed in similar gowns to the ones they were wearing. Both sexes were equally graceful, and as far as they could see, the male elves were all as well endowed as Lithonien. They were surprised, however, that they all appeared to be about the same age, and when they questioned Lithonien, he told them that once elves had reached adulthood, they did not age like humans, despite living to a great age. When it was time for an elf to die, he added, they would just disappear into the woods, where their bodies would be absorbed back into the soil from which they came.
"But I don't see any children," Julie said, "aren't they allowed to take part in your ceremonies?"
Lithonien became very sad at this and, after a moment to collect himself, he answered her, "There have been no elf children for many decades and within a century or so, there will be no elves left to tend to the trees."
"Why is that," asked Sylvia, blunt and to the point as usual.
"It seems that the chemicals you humans have allowed to pollute the atmosphere have made all female elves infertile. We have heard about male elves in other parts who have taken a human female as a bride, and that they have successfully produced offspring. We have held many counsels to discuss this, and have decided that it is time to take drastic action, but you will find out more later. It will not be an unpleasant experience, I promise you, and I believe that the result will also satisfy your deepest needs."
Over the next few hours many elves came to talk to Julie and Sylvia who,, by then had grown accustomed to their near nakedness. In fact, they found that it was very pleasing to be surrounded by beings of such great physical beauty. They were given strange but delicious drinks, and little cakes that, despite their appearance, were very satisfying so that they never felt any pangs of hunger. But, neither did they feel over full, unlike many of the parties they had been to with their human friends.
As darkness fell, little lanterns were lit in the trees, bathing the clearing in a soft golden light. The elves then began to pair up, male and female, and seated themselves on the ground in a great circle surrounding a central area. Litnonien invited Julie to join him, and another elf, who introduced himself as Bellrauthien, took Sylvia by the hand and led her to a different part of the circle.