A Gilded Cage

I'm glad to hear so many people enjoying the story! It is lovely to hear from you all.

This one is very much a slow-burn type story - I am trying to give hints and glimpses of characters that build into full pictures, but I'm afraid that does make it a little slow.

P.S. If anybody is struggling to envisage his full parade uniform, look up the British Household Cavalry. I walk past them every day on my way to work and they are majestic as fuck.

*****

They breakfasted at his desk as he read through his morning briefings. There was far more unrest in some of the provincial cities than he was comfortable with and he began to make plans in case the local police couldn't keep it under control. Telor and his disk drive were climbing into the foothills of the mountain range to the North. Aerial surveillance showed just a small group accompanying him but the tree canopy was too thick to follow their path for long from the air - he would wait until he met with the others before eliminating that set of nuisances.

He went for a run and sent her to be washed and dressed, insisting that she be allowed a long hot bath to help calm her. She was waiting, seated at his little breakfast table, as he came out of the shower in a towel. Dismissing her guards he stood her up to admire her. By now the things he had had especially tailored for her were arriving from the best dressmakers in the empire and as she currently stood she would put any of the society girls in the capital to shame. He had her in a duck egg blue gown of light satin. It clung to her body, held tight at the waist by grey silk ribbon, skirting over her hips and floating away to pool lightly at her feet, hiding high silver sandals. Her hair was piled in a high bun with long curled locks falling over her shoulders, held by a web of fine silver, scattered with iridescent white stones to match those on her ears and on the bracelets that cleverly concealed the mess on her wrists.

"You are truly beautiful. I believe now that you might have been a queen." He whispered in her ear, kissing her neck with his hands on her waist. "Have you seen yourself? There is a full length mirror in my dressing room." He guided her by the shoulders through a door into another narrow corridor leading to a suite of small but very elegant rooms, all with windows facing over the gardens as his bedroom had. Past his bathroom there was a large dressing room, walls lined with wardrobes.

"If you continue to be good I will have your things brought up here too so you can choose what you wear." He stood her in front of a mahogany framed mirror that nearly reached the picture rail - it must have been at least twelve feet. Standing in front of it, framed by the reflections of trees and fountains and bathed in early morning light she almost robbed him of his powers of thought.

"I'm afraid it has to be full regalia again today. It is far too warm for heavy woollen uniforms but that isn't to be helped." He had turned to a wardrobe and pulled on pants and trousers before he realised she was crying again.

"Come pet, no, you'll spoil your eyes. What's wrong? Don't you like it?"

"I... I should be resisting this not being dressed like a doll. I should be struggling, I should want to fight you, I'm as weak as they say I am..."

"Do you want to fight me? It makes little difference to me but it is easier if you don't."

"Am I to simply sit quietly by your side until I am needed in bed? Is that all I shall do lord? A pretty whore..."

"Would you prefer to fight me so that I lock you up? You would see nobody. Your only human contact would be when I came to fuck you. And I wouldn't bother to help you enjoy it. I will not release you and if I did you would be dead within days. I have complete control over every aspect of your life - if you work with me I will allow you to be happy. Will you be good?"

She nodded, mutely. Becoming passive, cold, and lifeless, numbly accepting his control until she regained the strength to resist him.

"There's my girl. But no, there is no need for you to sit stiffly by my side. When we are home and when I am working you may divert yourself however you like so long as you stay close. There are books, thousands of them, you may borrow them. And I can get hold of anything else you might like. What did you do to amuse yourself before the war?"

She considered this, but saw no harm in telling him. "I used to embroider. It passes the time and makes me feel useful. And I enjoy music - there is never any music here - I played a violin and sang for my father."

"Then I shall send for everything you might possibly need. There are spare rooms here in my private apartments and I shall set one aside for you."

"So that is it" she said softly. "A caged bird to sing on cue..."

"Make the best of it pet. There are many worse situations than this. You might have had to marry that sap of a lad. I dread to think what a chore sleeping with the boy would be, if he could manage it at all. Taking you is man's work. He'd never have satisfied you." He laughed, but for once he didn't sound cruel.

"I will grant you liberties when you behave. And each time you show me that you are good and that you can be trusted I will extend them. Now help me dress - I have meetings all day and I must look presentable for the evening."

She helped him into a delicate cotton shirt and heavy jacket, buttoning it slowly and ensuring all of the tassels of the epaulets lay neatly on his shoulder. She found the task refreshing - something on which she could concentrate rather than dwell on the horrors within. She took his belt and sword, looking curiously.

"Is it real lord?"

"Yes, real enough, and quite sharp."

"Have you ever used it to... have you had to use it to defend yourself?"

"No" he chuckled. "And I doubt I ever will, it is merely a symbol of rank, office and power. I wear a gun if I intend to do any actual fighting."

"And have you... Your empire is expansionist, there is always war, you must have... Oh god I saw you do so yesterday."

"You would not like my work if you knew half of it. But I spent very little time on the front line of battles. I was promoted very fast and am the youngest man of my rank by at least twenty years. But come, I have meetings. They will be long and to you they will be immensely boring, you may choose a book from the library as we pass if you hurry." She chose a delicate, leather bound book on the local flora and fauna, having been advised that it was hardly proper for her to be seen reading from great heavy tomes.

He was to have lunch with one of the leading political figures in the empire before chairing an involved meeting about counter insurgency strategy: another long day. He was glad to have her beside him - her innocent beauty softening his mood, and reminding him of happier things, long ago.

*************************

"Good god man you always were mad but you've dressed your little slave as a queen." He had arrived to lunch in the private rooms of the city governor and the man gawped at Aneira.

"After dusk tonight she will be, after a fashion. And if a man can't waste money on beautiful things I hardly see the point in having it."

"And what a beautiful thing you have too, Charles. You stole the greatest treasure in that citadel no doubt."

"No doubt indeed, but not stole - she was legally acquired. I even filed the paperwork. Indeed I had her appraised and had the her value and details sent to the military oversight committee and had her officially declared as legitimately acquired spoils of war with a value falling within what my rank allows me to claim. Though her value has since risen rather..."

"Yes, yes, general, yes I believe you. And a very clever thing you did too. Not only is she a beauty, but by tomorrow she will have claim to all the lands you took. As her legally certified owner those lands, titles, and rights transfer to you do they not?" The older man gave a knowing grin as Charles settled himself across the table, standing Aneira behind and to the left of him.

"You are well briefed Sir Henry, but not quite. Her titles do not fall to me. Incongruently, she will technically be both a queen and a slave - though as queen brings no special benefits, equality under the law and all that, she will be queen in name only and still very much a slave."

"There are some very interesting results coming from mining surveys from that valley, certain rare earth metals. Integral to computer chips I am told. You will be a wealthy man, a wealthier one than you already are anyway."

"I have no need of money - I have more than I have a use for." Lunch arrived - Aneira was surprised to see a third place set. Were they expecting further guests?

"I took the liberty of ordering your slave food of her own. My stomach could not take seeing you feed her while we talk business. Do sit down girl, there is no need for such stiff formalities here. Is she allowed cutlery? It would be a shame to make her eat by hand..."

"She has promised to be good. And she knows the consequences of disobedience..."

"Excellent," he spoke almost as he had before but there was a note of discomfort at the threat. "Anyway where was I? Oh yes. I never thought it was the money that you cared about. I have known you since you were crawling and you never showed interest in anything more than you needed to maintain your lifestyle and that is hardly as extravagant as it might be. No you love power. And you, in a few hours' time, will be responsible for granting mining contracts for one of the world's most pivotal resources. And nobody can do a thing about it while you still have a legal claim to the girl."

"Ah, you always were a shrewd old sod."

"You aren't too old for a thrashing yourself." His voice was stern, but all was said with a smile.

"You have missed one thing. There is something I am concerned about. The rights will fall to her eldest son - or daughter if she has none - and that may be a problem. I own her, but not necessarily her children. As you know, if a slave falls pregnant the child belongs to the father if he is a free man or the owner of the father if it is a slave. An old and odd law but still very much binding."

"Well the solution to that is simple and you should be embarrassed not to have thought of it for yourself."

"Oh?"

"For one, do not let any other man touch her, but no doubt you have seen to that. You never did like to share your toys. And put a son in her. If the child is yours then there is no problem."

"Ah, yes very clever. I am embarrassed not to have thought of it. I've been thinking that it was about time to sort out the succession."

They spent the rest of the meal discussing various political matters of concern in the empire but she did not take it in. She had given little thought to motherhood before, other than the unspoken assumption that it was her duty when married. There were never many children in the citadel, but she had liked those there were, so far as they had any interaction. Still, she wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of carrying his child, perhaps even children. Unbidden, the thought occurred to her that a child would be a better source of security than she had otherwise. It would give her something to do and a focus other than him. She didn't suppose that she had any choice in this any more than she could chose to leave him. She therefore resolved to accept it, noting that she was doing an awful lot of that lately.

They finished their meal and stood to leave, the general thanking their host.

"Oh Charles, before you go, be careful when you bring the girl to court - those jealous things that have clawed their way to the top of high society will scratch her eyes out to spite her beauty."

The general laughed and replied with a grin "I know how to handle society girls."

"Hmm, I hear all sorts of salacious rumours to that effect." He winked before turning to Aneira and saying "Do not worry pretty thing. He is rarely cruel without a cause, you may come to find yourself at peace with your lot and I hope that you might do so."

They returned to the car, a startlingly large security detail falling into step as they left the apartment.

"Did you like him?"

"Very much lord."

"Good. He is my Godfather. I value his opinions highly." He paused as they stepped into the car, Rogers with them as usual.

"He has always advised me well in the past..."

She guessed he was mulling over the conversation about the child, but she would not encourage the idea, so sat mutely, considering what she might do to escape this life. She often thought of escape, but she had lost all real hope. Acceptance was overruling her resistance, but much still remained.

*************************

On leaving the car she nearly ran back into it. Gone was the pleasant mix of baroque and regency facades of townhouses interspersed with neo classical public buildings of the city centre, with its broad streets and extensive parks. Standing alone and towering over all that surrounded it was a work of brutalism that managed to frighten her more than any building should. He took her arm.

"What, you didn't expect the military headquarters of a martial empire to have paintings of kittens on the door did you?" The mountain of bare concrete and steel didn't seem to faze him at all. He took his seat at the head of a large council chamber, already full of men. Eyes followed her. She realised many of these men would have seen her before, had seen her raped as pre-dinner entertainment. She moved closer to him, wondering if she would be expected to stand at his side for the entire meeting. Thankfully Rogers appeared with a cushion which he placed beside the general's chair. She knelt down and tried to ignore the eyes.

He bent down and spoke such that only she could hear him. "Sit, make yourself comfortable, this will be a long meeting." He pulled her book from his trouser pocket and passed it to her. As she settled he rested a hand on her shoulder, a finger lightly stroking her neck. She read and ignored the meeting. Many of the now rebels had been her friends and she certainly didn't want to hear details of their extermination. Then again they had put a price on her head so she washed her hands of the matter. Morality was a luxury she felt she could no longer afford.

They took an early dinner with a few of the other high ranking officers at a table in his office in the building. Again she Rogers brought a cushion and she knelt at his side and was fed without complaint. After dinner he sat to do an hour's work and settled her in a comfortable chair by the window to read.

They were soon interrupted by a knock at the door. Aneira expected another soldier and didn't look up until she heard a woman's voice.

"Charles my dear you never called me after that trouble at yours. I heard you were here and thought I simply must come and see you. I have brought pastries and sweet white wine - I thought we might have a light bite to eat." It was the woman he had brought back from the party, dressed in the most elegant floating silk full of reds and oranges, stopping just short of her knee.

"Not today Sophie I am horrifically busy. Call my diarist and arrange something." He didn't even look up from the screen. Aneira could see she was annoyed and thought the expression made her rather ugly. The woman caught her eye and considered for a few seconds."

"Charles is that the slave you had crawling at your feet?" She demanded. Aneira winced with the memory of it but fought not to show any distress. "And you let her sit on furniture?! Lord knows I've seen Duchesses without gowns close to the thing you've put her in. This is vulgar Charles."

"Oh piss off will you I'm busy."

She gaped at him. "I will ruin your name in society for this. I hope you enjoy your whore."

"You have no capacity to ruin me, but if I get one whiff of you trying I will put photos of you tied naked to my bed on every billboard within fifty miles of the city. Now I've told you to piss of once. If you are still here when I look up I will have you dragged and thrown out."

Aneira watched her go, utterly shocked by his behaviour. She had known him to be cruel, violent, and sadistic even, but rude was a new one. He noticed her looking at him and grinned.

"I alternate between flattering and ignoring these women. It keeps them in my bed but prevents them from trying to marry me. That and I enjoy it. They're more truly whores than you are, pet. Half the court would get on their knees for a sniff of my money, and a fair few have."

With that he went back to work. Aneira wasn't quite sure she believed him that it was a standard method of dealing with her - the look on Sophie's face was shock before it was anger.

********************

After half an hour he got up and rubbed his eyes.

"Right we have to be off. Do I look as bad as I feel?"

"Do you promise you won't beat me if I tell you the truth?"

"Promise."

"A little tired my lord. And your jacket is crumpled."

"The tiredness can't be helped but the jacket can. I need to change. This is a state occasion. I will need your help."

He fiddled with his phone and within a minute Rogers came in with a number of large packages wearing his full dress uniform.

"Right I haven't worn this stuff for years. I'm going to boil in this heat if I don't collapse under the weight." He stripped off his jacket, shirt, and boots, and Rogers handed him a fresh one but this time with a very high collar of stiff white material that would show above any coat. Next came a charcoal grey coat with plain buttons down the front, but heavy embroidery in silver along the collar, cuffs, and tails. To her surprise Rogers next produced a heavily polished steal cuirass with brass inlay all along the elaborate straps at the shoulders. He was holding it in gloved hands so as not to mark it with his fingers.

"Right Aneira I need you to fasten the buckles for me. It should be relatively obvious where everything goes." Rogers closed the two halves of the thing across the general's chest and passed thick leather straps over his shoulder. She buckled it around his waist first making sure that the weight fell on his hips and trunk before fastening each shoulder. Rogers attached the sword to a leather belt.

"That isn't too bad." He said rolling his shoulders and adjusting the weight slightly "not as bad as I remember. I must be stronger than I was five years ago." Rogers helped him with stiff, highly buffed riding boots that reached half way up his thighs. Next there were two bundles and Rogers opened one to reveal a heavy cloak of plain black wool which he draped around his commander, being very careful to lay it correctly on his shoulders so that the collar of the jacket beneath and the decorated straps of the cuirass showed through correctly. He handed the second bundle to Aneira.

"I'm sorry dear it isn't exactly what I'd have you in, but executions of heads of state have rules. We cannot have the daughter of said head of state breaking them now can we?"

She unfolded the bundle to find a black cloak of closely woven silk. Rogers helped her with it as it was heavy and difficult. The bottom hem puddled on the floor and was weighed down further by embroidery in silver thread. It clasped at the shoulder in a heavy broach and overlapped a great deal such that it covered her completely down beyond her torso, falling open to reveal the skirts beneath at her thighs. Rogers then placed a light but very long black veil over her head. It was translucent and hardly hid her, but allowed even more embroidery to tumble across her shoulders, this time in a delicate silver grey. He passed her a fey hair pins but didn't look entirely sure what they did so she pinned it herself.

Rogers opened the last of the bundle to reveal a spectacular helmet, the cheek guards, nose guard and around the eyes was covered in brass inlay and much of the rest heavily engraved. He placed it carefully on his general's head, arranging a red horse tail plume down his shoulders and back.