This is part of a long story which is mostly already written. The series will contain BDSM, humiliation and high stakes.
This story was written in collaboration with my friend J - thanks!
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PROLOGUE
At the prestigious Notre Dame d'Excellence, a simmering rivalry is soon to turn to flourishing anger, with dire consequences for all involved. All may be fair in love and war, but the world of chess has its own rules.
Each member of the group gathered around the coach is one of the wealthiest of the University's students. Each of the seven is fuming.
Sara Ocuk, the half-Turkish philosophy undergrad, is venting about the previous afternoon, when she and her flatmate Roxanna had tried to practice in earnest at the clubhouse. They had been interrupted yet again by the shrieks of "Your queen is mine, bitch!" followed by shrieks of laughter from that common slut Sofia. The resulting noise ruined the match for both of them and they retreated to their apartment to continue the game in irritable silence.
"It's always been our clubhouse! My father's team picture is on the wall! Why do we have to cram in with all those assholes? We've asked them to keep their voices down, but nothing helps. I can't practice; I can't think! Why did we accept everyone this year, Doc?" Cherry Ryan raises her voice in frustration after Sara finishes her rant. "Can't we do anything?"
Dr Thomas Jameson nods his head slowly. "I know, Cherry. I miss the days when we didn't have the whole world in here shouting every time they take a fucking pawn. It was always a place of quiet and focus and we didn't have to let just anyone in. These last three months have been intolerable."
"So can't we do something, coach? There must be a way against this 'non-exclusivity' policy," asks Veronica from the back of the group. The other six shuffle to the sides, allowing their captain to pass to the front. Doc meets her gaze and nods slowly.
"There's a precedent. It's been a long time since it was enacted..." he sighs, "but it could help us here.
"In the previous century, 'turf wars,' as I believe you call them, were settled through duels. Over time, the University realised that losing students to stab wounds tended to reflect poorly upon institutions of higher learning. The rules had to change. Instead of sending a champion to fight for each group, the new system forced every member of the group to duel with an opponent.
"However, the definition of 'duel' is subjective, and soon we saw rock-paper-scissors matches and contests of wit replace their deadlier predecessors. Fewer student deaths meant good news for the faculty, and turf wars were settled on less dangerous terms."
"Have you ever seen a war in this club, Sir?" James Kinney eagerly asks, sweeping his blonde mane out of his eyes.
"Once," the coach reminisced. "Twenty-odd years ago. I'd worked my way up the ranks of the club and was about to become captain. Some rapscallions had decided to disrupt our peace by feigning interest in the club, but really coming to eat everything and leave the club a mess. So we challenged them to a series of chess matches. The losing team was to leave the club...after some forfeits were paid."
"Did you win, Sir?" Sara's attention has been captured. "And what about the forfeits?"
The English lecturer gives her a wry smile and says, "That year we had the strongest team I've ever seen, and we annihilated those fuckers. Let's just say they had a very unpleasant set of punishments coming. And now, that's enough of that story. Your thoughts?"
"We could..."
"What if we did..."
"Let's challenge them!"
Sara, James and Cherry burst out at the same time.
Doc grins, hauling out a heavy book from beneath his desk. "Let's talk about the rules..."
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THE SETUP
The next evening, the same club members reassemble in the clubhouse to meet Doc. Throughout the day, every member of the club, the longstanding and the newcomers, has been alerted to the meeting tonight.
The seven rich students who had met with Doc the previous day have been there for half an hour, asserting their claim to the clubhouse. Taking the most comfortable chairs and arranging them around the couch, the team members flank Veronica on either side, their leader claiming the seat of her choice before they take theirs. All in their official chess team blazers, black with silver insignia, with black trousers or above-knee skirts, they are a formidable sight.
A cacophony of voices precedes the arrival of the would-be new members. "No fucking style," Cherry says loudly, which is met with derisive laughter from her teammates. However, the newcomers walk in unworried. They have never been met with anything less than scorn here; they won't let it bother them now.
Sofia Karleva, the blonde from Estonia with the slim figure, the top student in creative writing this past year, leads the group. At 22, she is one of the youngest of the group, second only to virginal Becky, but her natural confidence and serious demeanour have quickly established her as their leader. She refuses to let the show of dominance from the other team cow her. Her blue and white dress grazes her ankles as she walks, and dips deep into her firm perky cleavage. She chooses her seat and her teammates fall into place behind her.
All through last night, Sofia has sat up with her team discussing the proposed terms of the bet. The group chat has kept everyone busy all night, with fourteen members discussing the forthcoming challenge. If anyone had thought this would be a simple bet over the ownership of the clubhouse alone, their view was soon rectified by the harsh terms proposed by Veronica's team. Although the words contained in the texts last night seemed shocking to some, stories of the depravity ingrained in the chess club have spread all through the dormitories and food halls, whispered in the dark at night or hastily spoken of in the bright daylight. After hearing of the norms of the club, not one of the challengers is genuinely surprised to see the terms of the bet take a sexual turn.
This is not a small bar bet, to be taken lightly. The teams agree that the consequences of the bet should be severe and humiliating. No more drawn-out arguments over the occupancy of the clubhouse, and no more underhanded attacks between the teams. No more threatening notes slipped under doors and no ungracious shouting when rivals pass in the hallways. This will be the culmination of months of burgeoning resentment.